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Bloomberg News editor fired over inaccurate headline

Pickering's errant headline moved on Bloomberg's news terminal and on the company's mobile applications. (The Desk)
Pickering’s errant headline moved on Bloomberg’s news terminal and on the company’s mobile applications. (The Desk)

A Bloomberg editor was fired on Friday after he erroneously sent an inaccurate headline regarding a former Goldman Sachs banker.

John Pickering was dropped by the company after he moved a headline on the Bloomberg news terminal that claimed ex-Goldman banker Fabrice Tourre was acquitted by a jury on suspicion of misleading investors.

Tourre was, in fact, found liable for six of seven charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The headline, which also moved as a breaking news alert on Bloomberg’s mobile apps, was corrected within minutes.

Despite the correction, Bloomberg released Pickering on Friday, ending his 20-year career with the financial news organization.

The New York Post first reported Pickering’s unemployment on Saturday.

Bloomberg’s financial terminal product is one of the most-used in the business and information industry, and news that moves on the Bloomberg terminal has been known to have heavy influence on financial markets. Bloomberg prides itself on “delivering accurate, accountable information 24/7,” which may have been cause for Pickering’s termination.

A message left with management at Bloomberg went unreturned Monday.

New York Post: Headline costs Bloomberg News editor his job
Huffington Post: Bloomberg blows Fabrice Tourre verdict on Twitter

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys covers the business of broadcast and streaming TV, radio broadcasting, social media, technology and telecommunications. A journalist for over 15 years, Matthew previously worked at Thomson Reuters, KGO-TV in San Francisco, KTXL in Sacramento and McNaughton Newspapers. He received 9 California Journalism Awards between 2018 and 2020, and is a member of IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors).
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