Public Radio Stations Rebuke ‘Times’ For Ethical Lapses Related To ‘Caliphate’ Podcast

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Journalist Michael Barbaro attends The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Most Powerful People in Media cocktail reception at The Pool in 2019.

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‘New York Times’ Retracts Core Of Hit Podcast Series ‘Caliphate’ On ISIS

Complaints against Mills

Meanwhile, Mills, a creator and co-star of Caliphate, has also been the subject of repeated complaints from women for alleged demeaning or dismissive behavior, starting at New York Public Radio, where he previously worked, and continuing at The Times.

Yet Mills co-hosted The Daily immediately after the Dec. 18 episode in which he interviewed Baquet. The letter from public radio stations cited the «optics of his continued presence on the podcast at a time when social justice movements have hit public radio newsrooms, including #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.

Last week, WNYC’s RadioLab, where Mills worked and was accused of inappropriate physical contact and behavior, posted a note of contrition. The show’s staff said it wished it had done more to address his behavior toward women. His former boss at RadioLab, NPR producer Jamison York, expressed regret for failing to rein him in. Mills had apologized for his earlier behavior. In 2018, Tobin told New York magazine that Mills had been collegial since joining the paper and appeared to have learned from his past transgressions.

The newspaper would not confirm what role Mills currently plays at The Times.

Others invoked more recent episodes. On Twitter, Briana Breen, a Bay Area audio producer, alleged that Mills spoke disparagingly of Callimachi after a public appearance with her promoting the podcast. Some audio producers said he had written off female colleagues as possessing lesser talent than their male peers.

Disclosure: NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik’s wife is the co-founder of a podcast company that produced two limited-run podcast series for The Times. She had no involvement in, nor knowledge of, the workings of The Daily or Caliphate.