Athletic editor Steven Ginsberg addresses Dianna Russini situation in all-hands meeting
When the photos of Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini first emerged 22 days ago, they were accompanied by three strong denials of impropriety — one from Vrabel, one from Russini, and one from Russini's employer, The Athletic . Said Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, in a statement to the New York Post in the article that published the initial photos: “These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people.
Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic . ” Subsequent developments have made the initial statements look unfortunate, to say the least. And that has made Ginsberg's comment look less than ideal, in hindsight.
Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reports that, on Wednesday, Ginsberg addressed the situation in an all-hands meeting with the publication's staff. Citing unnamed sources, Glasspiegel reports that Ginsberg spent 10 minutes reading from a prepared statement. The statement acknowledged that "communications could have been more clear," per the report.
Ginsberg also said that the existing internal investigation "is ongoing and expected to be lengthy. " Ginsberg did not take questions during the meeting. The incident underscores existing tensions between The Athletic and its parent company, the New York Times .
The employees of both entities are subject to high standards of journalism. The Russini situation, and Ginsberg's handling of it, justifies internal questions as to whether The Athletic is meeting the bar set by the publication that purchased it in 2022. Some within both entities may also be wondering what The Athletic knew or should have known when Russini was hired in 2023, given the images that emerged last week of Vrabel and Russini in a New York City bar on March 11, 2020.