New Yorker Reminds People That ‘Borowitz Report’ Is Fake News

Image by Wikipedia

By Daniel J. Solomon December 15, 2016

“Putin Agrees To Receive Intelligence Briefings In Trump’s Place.” “Trump To Step Away From Making His Businesses Bankrupt To Focus On Bankrupting Country.”

Did you believe that?

Apparently the New Yorker no longer trusts that its readers will sniff a satire in the headlines of its Borowitz Report.

Last week, the New Yorker changed the tagline of comic Andy Borowitz’s column from “The news, reshuffled” to “Not the news.” The magazine also changed how articles appear on social media to make sure “Not the news” features prominently on previews.

“Obviously Andy’s stories are not real. We always want to make it clear that it’s satire. We never want readers to think that they are the real news,” Nicholas Thompson, the New Yorker’s online editor told Women’s Wear Daily. “The reasons why we made the adjustment are both public concern, and then also, there’s a proliferation of stuff that is not real. So it might be harder to distinguish a Borowitz Report post on Facebook now than it was a year ago.”

For more on the story, consider this latest development: “Trump To Split Time Between Trump Tower And Kremlin.”

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO