Former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair's "widespread fabrication and plagiarism" represents a low point in the newspaper's 152-year history, according to a front-page story the newspaper ran earlier this month. But the worst may be yet to come for the Times. Blair, a 27-year-old who may have suffered from a variety of substance-abuse issues and other problems, resigned May 1. But even as his former colleagues continue to pore over dozens of earlier stories he penned during his time at the newspaper in search of inaccuracies, sources at the Times confirm that editors have begun making inquiries into the work of several other staff reporters after questions about their work were raised by colleagues and people outside the paper. Whether those investigations will result in another embarrassing discovery remains to be seen. But there's little question that the Times's reputation--and, perhaps, efforts to diversify newsrooms nationwide as well-have been damaged by Blair's blunders. On Wednesday, May 21, at noon ET, Seth Mnookin joined us for a live discussion on the continuing controversy. Read the transcript below.

New: During Live Talks, you can chat with the other audience members in MSNBC's News Chat.

Seth Mnookin joined NEWSWEEK as a senior writer on the national affairs desk in June 2002. He covers the media world, politics, crime, and other sundry topics. Prior to joining the magazine, Mnookin was a senior correspondent for Brill's Content and Inside.com, two now-defunct publications that covered the media for a mass audience. At Brill's, Mnookin covered the 2000 presidential campaign, during which George W. Bush got to know him well enough to craft a personalized hang-signal but alas, no nickname. In addition, he wrote pieces on the 2000 election night meltdown, Hunter S. Thompson, and Bob Kerrey's efforts to control the coverage of his service in Vietnam. Mnookin also served as the city editor of the Forward and as a metro reporter for the Palm Beach Post, covering topics ranging from Jewish motorcycle gangs to Boca Raton residents upset at the amount of pink stucco in their city.

Mnookin, a graduate of Harvard University, has also written about music and pop culture for a number of publications, including The New Yorker, New York magazine, Details, Spin, The New York Press, Slate, and Salon.com. He briefly served as a "Manhattan Music" columnist for The New York Observer. His writing has appeared in two anthologies: "The Best American Non Required Reading, 2002" and "Dorothy Parker's Elbow: Tattoos on Writers, Writers on Tattoos."

Seth Mnookin: There are a lot of questions out there already, and it seems like most people are pretty well acquainted with the issues and story at hand, so let's dive right in.

Brooklyn, NY: Did you catch the New York Observer today? Jayson Blair is talking too much for his own good these days. He's lost any viable shot at victimization or sympathy with his freakish self-promotions: "I fooled some of the most brilliant people in journalism." Your take?

Seth Mnookin: I did read the Observer. I agree--I think Jayson's rapidly sapping many of his friends of their remaining sympathy. He obviously is very troubled, and he seems intent on playing out his pathologies and sickness in the public eye.

Ozone Park, NY: That Jayson Blair was promoted after his misconduct was well known makes the NY Times complicit in his betrayal of readers. Will those responsible be held accountable and fired?

Seth Mnookin: I think this question misses the point. The CW on the Blair fiasco seems to now be that the Times had some sense that he was plagiarizing or fabricating stories. That is absolutely not the case. Jayson had a lot of corrections, and some troubling work habits. But he was also viewed as a promising and energetic and eager reporter. As soon as the San Antonio Express-News complained about his plagiarizing, action was taken.

Marine City, MI: I don't understand how the New York Times controversy was able to happen. Essentially, reporters are like detectives that find clues and piece together facts to form stories. Common-sense would say that an institution as large as the Times would have people whose specific job is to track down sources to confirm quotes, and verify other facts by looking at competing newspapers, etc. Are there such individuals on staff? After all, the Times is the closest thing to a newspaper of record.

Seth Mnookin: Actually, this is a common misconception. Newspapers don't use fact checkers to re-report and re-confirm a reporter's work; daily deadline pressure precludes such measures. And, as Howell Raines, the executive editor of the Times, has pointed out, news gathering organizations are set up with the assumption that everyone involved in the process, from the reporter to the editor to the reader, is interested in getting at the truth. Newspapers aren't set up to catch serial prevaricators. That being said, there were a lot of warning signs here, and definitely something could have and should have been done earlier.

Houston, TX: Why doesn't the editor of the New York Times submit his resignation? From all accounts, it is the editor who purposely and repeatedly overlooked the errors in articles submitted by Jayson Blair. The editor was saying that it is alright to lie as long as you are black. Where is the accountability for the editor? In my opinion this case will never be closed until the editor of the New York Times resigns.

Seth Mnookin: This question is so wrongheaded on so many levels I almost don't know where to begin. First off, Howell Raines never purposely and repeatedly overlooked errors in Blair's articles; no editor at the Times purposefully overlooked anything. Jayson might have been given too long a leash, but that's because his character was misjudged. And, while Raines himself has acknowledged that race likely played a role in why Blair was given so many chances, no one has said, and I don't think anyone believes, that the Times would allow black reporters to get away with fabricating or plagiarizing for the sake of diversity.

Newton, MA: What do you think about the possibility that Jayson may make money--potentially lots of money--from this, through book, movie, TV rights? Do you think that effects his ability to come to terms with what he's done?

Seth Mnookin: Hi Mom. Tell Marika I say hello.
As to your question, I told Jayson last week that if I were him, I wouldn't look to monetize this experience right now--I would focus on getting better. And yes, my personal view is that by trying to capitalize off of this whole ordeal will hinder his ability to come to grips with the damage and pain he's caused others, and the ways in which he has impacted his own life.

San Antonio, TX: What do you expect from the new class of minority elites? Do you think that unearned self-esteem, Let your skin do the talking, and affirmative action might have had something to do with this?

Seth Mnookin: I find this kind of racist drivel to be among the sorriest results of this whole affair. Unfortunately, one man's sordid story is being used by racists and ideologues to justify what are either offensive or just wrong headed views. It's sad.

Atlanta, GA: Why would they continue to carry this nut when he clearly wasn't talented or mentally stable and he was dishonest? There are black reporters out there who actually could do an excellent job who are now tarred with the brush of "diversity gone bad."

Seth Mnookin: Excellent point. I think one answer is, the full extent of Jayson's pathology wasn't clear until his whole house of cards came tumbling down; before that, he was viewed as a troubled but extremely promising--and hungry--young reporter. But this is a point I think will be discussed more in the days to come. There are loads of talented minority journalists; I've heard from some of them who are wondering the very question you raise.

Los Angeles, CA: Why didn't Newsweek devote equal time, on the front cover, to the firing of Boston Globe reporter Mike Barnicle who was white? Mike now has the aura of respectability with his position at MSNBC TV. As an African American journalist, I'm appalled at the behavior of Blair, Barnacle and other journalists who behave in this way but I'm outraged at the subjective 'shades of gray' mainstream, a.k.a. white media, ascribe to black lies in the newsroom versus white lies in the newsroom. It's 2003, can't equality exist even when defining cardinal reporting sins?

Seth Mnookin: I think there are a couple of answers to your question. First, the New York Times occupies a unique place in the country's psyche--it's the paper of record, the Old Grey Lady. It's the top of the heap. The Globe, my hometown paper, is a very good regional paper, but it doesn't have the same sort of cachet. Also, Barnicle's plagiarism--if I remember correctly, he was canned for lifting some mediocre jokes from a George Carlin (sp?) book--was in a column, and seemed at the time to be a more isolated incident. Blair was able to sneak dozens of plagiarized articles and fabricated quotes into the most widely read and respected newspaper in the world. It's no exaggeration to say that the New York Times sets the national news agenda. I have no doubt that, if Jayson Blair were white, he would be getting equal treatment.

Seattle, WA: What is most repulsive to me about the Blair story is the media's almost sole focus on the race/affirmative action angle. Give me a break! How many past scandals of this sort (fabrications and/or plagiarisms)have there been involving white or Jewish journalists or writers?
The Blair incident shows that a black man can be a psychopath, same as any other race. It's as much a reflection on diversity as Dubya's intellect (or lack thereof) is a reflection on Yale University.

Seth Mnookin: I actually think there hasn't been a sole focus on race and affirmative action. It's certainly been one aspect of a multi-faceted and confusing narrative, but, for the most part, I think it's only been one aspect. Certainly it didn't stand out in Newsweek's account; I don't think race was overplayed in the Times's own accounts, either.

Lewes, DE: Are there any non-Jewish reporters or newspapers in New York?

Seth Mnookin: Glad to see the anti-Semites are well represented. If we can get some homophobes and misogynists in to the mix, we'll have a regular Rainbow Coalition of hatred!

MSNBC.com chatroom: Does the survival of the NYT execs prove that the press is hypocritical? Execs who had had similar problems in other industries would have been held "accountable."

Seth Mnookin: Good point, and it's a question I think has been on a lot of people's minds. The Times certainly has been out front on corporate responsibility. I think the question here--or at least one question here--is whether there were editors or executives at the Times who were knowingly covering up for Blair's fabrications and plagiarizing. The answer seems to be no. There were breakdowns in communication, and newsroom management seems to have contributed to the problem, but there wasn't (or doesn't seem to have been) any cover up or knowing deception on anyone's part but Jayson's. Since that's the case, it's really a judgement call as to whether the current editorial leadership should remain in place, and the only person whose judgement matters in the case--the Times's publisher--has said he wants the top editors to stay.

MSNBC.com chatroom: How can we, the public, be assured that the news is not packed with "Blairisms"?

Seth Mnookin: A good, albeit sad, question. Newspapers--and magazines, and all over news gathering organizations--rely on their reputations. I think one thing the Blair case has shown is that there's always a possibility that some intent on deception can sneak a lie, or a series of lies, into print. But the Blair case has also shown that the news business does a pretty good job of policing itself. Part of that is competitive; if there's problems with my work, you can bet someone from another news organization is going to take a look. Part of that is self-corrective; the Times, in the many thousands of words it has printed about the Blair fiasco, has shown that, if nothing else, it's committed to correcting the record.

Mt. Ida, AR: Why doesn't anyone ever listen? A company by law has to hire so many blacks or they are out of business. That is the law. IT doesn't matter if they have the education or the ability to do the job or not. A business has to have a quota of the blacks or loose funding or their business. And they yell discrimination. So. The NYT's hired someone who was not worthy of the position. It happens all the time. Let the businesses hire those qualified for the position instead of discriminating against the whites and blacks that are educated. All have the same opportunity. We have all nationalities in the slums and ghettos. They work hard to get out and they don't lie and cheat. Just because he is black doesn't give him the right to lie and cheat his fellow man. But he will walk, for he is black.

Seth Mnookin: This is pig headed and ignorant. Companies do not need to hire "so many blacks" by law or "loose (sic) funding in their business." The Times doesn't get funding from the government, first off. And the Times's laudable goal of diversifying its staff has nothing to do with the law and everything to with a belief that I agree wholeheartedly with--that news gathering organizations have a responsibility to present as many viewpoints as possible, and one of the ways to do that is to have an inclusive newsroom.

Bluff City, TN.: How can we ever trust anything the New York Times will print in the future?

Seth Mnookin: Yes.

Aliso Viejo, CA: Will Blair be charged with a crime and could there be civil charges as well?

Seth Mnookin: I've gotten this question from a number of people. I'm not entirely sure of the answer. He is being investigated; it doesn't seem like there will be criminal charges filed, although that could change. I also suspect the Times won't file civil charges if for no other reason than I doubt they want to keep this whole affair in the news any longer than they have to.

MSNBC.com chatroom: If race should not be a focus, why did Raines bring it to the forefront with his "white from Alabama" statement

Seth Mnookin: There's a difference between saying that race shouldn't be a focus and race shouldn't be the focus. Race clearly is part of this story. Jayson came to the Times as part of their minority internship program, and he tried to present himself as being a mentee of the Times's African-American managing editor, Gerald Boyd. And, as you point out, Howell Raines alluded to his own history and long-standing support of Civil Rights when he spoke to the Times staff a week ago today. But there are many other factors that come into play here, and I think to focus solely on the fact that Jayson is black is to severely oversimplify the situation.

Colton, Aboud: Has investigating the Blair scandal made you change your own plagiaristic reporting habits? Are you taking more care to cover your own tracks?

Seth Mnookin: Dear Mike and John,
Thanks for the question. I make it a habit not to plagiarize (you guys should get a spell check on your VH1 computers). So much so that when I was writing the Newsweek piece, I had a draft that made reference to earlier reporting by a New York magazine article--even though I was the author of that piece.
Now get back to work, you two.

Boston, MA: Has the Times gone into radio silence on the Blair affair? While I haven't combed every page of the Times, it seems as if they are taking a paternalistic attitude that we should just trust them to take care of it and fix the problem. I see you suggested in Raw Copy that they create an Ombudsman and appoint Alex Jones. What are the chances that that will happen and if something like that doesn't happen, how can they continue to be the newspaper of record?

Seth Mnookin: I've been told that the Times will continue to cover the story; I know their investigation into Jayson's articles is ongoing, and I'm sure that more corrections will be printed, as needed. If I'm not mistaken, the Times also ran a story on their town hall style meeting in last Thursday's paper. I think--and I'm guessing here--that they're trying to walk a line between reporting on their own story and seeming overly self-involved.
As for the ombudsman issue, I hope it does happen. I suspect it's one of the things currently being discussed. Whatever happens, I'm sure there will be more changes in the newsroom--just yesterday a staff memo went on indicating that they were adding 20 new editorial positions, a pretty direct response to internal complaints that the newsroom was severely understaffed.

Rochester, NY: why are we giving this deceitful man so much attention which he obviously craves? and what is going to happen to him now? he will probably get a book deal.

Seth Mnookin: Jayson Blair touched on many issues pertinent to journalism today--trust, reliability, diversity, arrogance. I think those larger issues contribute to why this story is getting so much attention. Plus, it's just a great drama, filled with drugs and power and romance and everything else you could ask for. But you tell me--what's making you tune in to a Live Chat during your lunch hour?

Prairie View, TX: How will the Jayson Blair controversy affect minorities in the newsroom among the "good 'ol boys"?

Seth Mnookin: I want to be careful here, because I'm not sure I understand your question. One thing I've seen already from the e-mails and phone calls I've received is that Jayson's behavior and deception have given license to all sorts of hateful racists who jump on any excuse to denigrate and vilify those who are different from them. Hopefully, intelligence and level-headedness will prevail in the end--Jayson Blair's sorry career doesn't mean black journalists can't be trusted any more than Stephen Glass's sorry career means white journalists can't be trusted.

Syracuse, NY: Has Blair gotten help for his drug problem? If his coke-snorting habit was so well-known in the newsroom, why wasn't something done about it earlier?

Seth Mnookin: A couple of answers, although I'm not sure you'll find any of them satisfactory. First off, Jayson says he has gotten help with his drug problem, although I should point out that he's proven time and time again you put yourself at risk of appearing like a fool if you make a habit out of believing him. Second, I'm sure you know people in your place of employment who seem to be out of control in one area of their life; it can be hard to know the correct course of action to take. Finally, it seems that Jayson did receive some help while at the Times; he entered in to the paper's employee assistance program, presumably to get help for his substance abuse.

Bellevue, WA: Why would the Times promote a guy who was a know nut-case (manic-depression), drug-user (cocaine) and boozer ??

Seth Mnookin: Well, I'm offended--and I'm sure plenty of other people are too--by your calling someone who suffers from manic depression a "nut-case." I've been able to get limited information from the Times about what was known in regards to his health, but the editors there have said they didn't want to punish someone for his personal problems, particularly since he seemed to have overcome them some time ago. I think just as the Blair story does not in any way show that you can't trust African-American reporters, it doesn't show that you can't trust recovered or recovering alcoholics or drug abusers or people suffering from depression. (Full disclosure--I'm a recovering drug addict who has been clean and sober for over five years.) Jayson is a unique, and uniquely sick, person. I'd caution against drawing too much from his case.

Anaheim, CA: At the May 14 meeting between Raines, Sulzberger, Boyd, and Times staff members at the Loews Astor Plaza movie theater, did either Sulzberger or Boyd make any comments?

Seth Mnookin: Yes, all three men on stage made comments, although Raines's have gotten the most attention. Since I wasn't at the meeting--reporters weren't allowed to attend--I don't have too many specific details about what they said other than what's been reporting; Boyd talked a bit about the decision to appoint Jayson to the sniper case, and Sulzberger reiterated, once again, his total commitment to Raines and the current editorial leadership of the paper.

Seth Mnookin: That's all the time we have. I wish I could get to more of your questions--there were a lot of good ones still out there. Thanks for writing in. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this story...

Best,

Seth