We were stunned to learn a couple of days ago of top Bloomberg investigative reporter Mark Pittman’s death.
As I told his friend and colleague Bob Ivry for the extremely well-done obituary, “What a funny guy — huge personality. Mark was my favorite reporter working. In a time when too much journalism is timid or co-opted, Mark personified the whole ‘afflict the comfortable’ tenet of the business. Mark’s passing is a huge loss for journalism at a time when we can least afford it.”
We’ll have more on Pittman next week, but until then read this Audit Interview we did with him in February. We’ve added some links there pointing to more of his work.
UPDATE: Here’s Dean Starkman writing on The Pittman Way, and here’s me on his Moral Force.
With the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Financial Times all ignoring the passing of Mark Pittman, one has to wonder about the fundamental integrity of the major media outlets. With the Senate due to vote on the Bernanke confirmation and a US District Court proceeding with a FIOA suit against the FED, which Pittman initiated, Pittman’s untimely death at 52 has to raise a few eyebrows.
Looking back at other boat rocking writers, who met untimely deaths, such as Leo Demore, Danny Casaloro, and Gary Webb, they key fact is the what happened to the writers notes and records. Should it turn out that these documents disappeared, foul play should not just be not ruled out, but assumed.
#1 Posted by Joe Canepa, CJR on Tue 22 Dec 2009 at 12:17 PM
Joe, there was no foul play here. Mark had heart disease, as he told me himself. Read his daughter's response to the conspiracy theorists.
#2 Posted by Ryan Chittum, CJR on Tue 22 Dec 2009 at 01:17 PM
I read the daughter's post. Not the same as reading it in say, the New York Times. Mr. Pittman's cardiologist would be a more reliable source.
The more important issue is the fate of his records. and the reason for the lack of reporting by the majors, excluding Bloomberg.
#3 Posted by Joe Canepa, CJR on Tue 22 Dec 2009 at 01:32 PM