The Newsroom website has fallen victim to an IT security issue this morning, with a fake news story published prominently on its homepage under the byline of one of New Zealand’s most respected journalists.
The article, headlined Aviator Game: A Thrilling Adventure in the Gambling World, appeared on the publisher’shomepage between 3am and 6am, before being removed by the website’s editorial team.
Under the byline of co-editor and former NZ Herald editor-in-chief Tim Murphy,the article waxed lyrical about “a thrilling adventure in the world of online gambling”.
It gave instructions on how to sign up for the game, deposit funds, place bets, and collect winnings or take cash out. “The Aviator Casino Game presents the opportunity to win substantial payouts and even jackpots. With strategic decision-making and a bit of luck, players can walk away with impressive winnings.”
The website has been investigating how its content-management system and website published the article, including seeking an explanation from its technology provider to ensure there won’t be a repeat.
The homepage of Newsroom early this morning, with the fake news story under Tim Murphy's byline.
In a note to readers later this morning, Murphy said it was a rogue item that had been neither commissioned nor placed on the website by his staff.
“The item, which appeared to be a form of advertising messaging for an online gaming site - but sitting within a Newsroom news story format and carrying my byline - had somehow appeared via the systems of our site administrator, Pagemasters ...
“The item was deactivated from Newsroom as soon as it was noticed here, having had fewer than 20 page views.”
Pagemasters is an Australia-based editorial business that provides the IT platform for Newsroom’s website.
Murphy quoted Pagemasters managing director Ant Phillips as saying they wereinvestigating.
“I can confirm that one story posted under the byline of Newsroom’s co-editor appears to be the result of either an administration error or administration compromise,” said Phillips, as reported by Murphy. “Technicians are looking at site security ... and we are investigating how it came to be posted.”
A report would be provided to Newsroom as soon as possible.
Murphy wrote: “Newsroom had no connection, in any way, with the preparation or posting of this material and will continue to seek answers and immediate protections on behalf of our readers. It goes without saying that Newsroom neither endorses nor supports any of the messaging contained in the item.
“Newsroom apologises to anyone who saw the item, and to readers generally for this regrettable systems error.”
Earlier, Newsroom co-editor Mark Jennings said the company was seeking answers from Pagemasters.
“We don’t fully know yet [how it happened]. We think that our platform providers somehow mistakenly put it there. They are based in Australia and are coming on deck now. I think in probably an hour’s time we’ll know, but it was totally erroneous. As soon as we saw it, we said ‘what the hell is this’. It definitely wasn’t done by us.
“We knew straight away it was erroneous and got it down and now we’re trying to find out what caused it. Obviously, we are concerned. We’ve never had anything like that happen before.”
The incident comes amid a string of media issues in recent times.
On June 13, Jennings himself – in an article headlined Media Shooting itself in the Foot – looked into the saga of the digital journalist who had added pro-Kremlin copy to RNZ articles, and also put the spotlight on the Herald for what he described as an “incomplete correction” about an article the previous week in which a woman had provided false information.
Jennings quoted an academic’s social media post: “If you want to be transparent and gain trust in your content, you need to explain this better.”
And he finished the article with: “The road back for the media just hit a major speed bump.”
Newsroom published its explanation about five hours after removing the article.
A section of the fake news story that appeared on Newsroom this morning.
* Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
