junkets

Thrillist Junket Fallout: Times Freelancer Mike Albo Fired

The Thrillist/JetBlue media junket to Jamaica last week raised eyebrows when Jeff Bercovici at DailyFinance wondered if the trip violated the ethical standards of some of the journalists’ outlets. Of particular concern were those employed by Newsweek and the New York Times, the latter of which expects freelancers to adhere to the same ethics guidelines as its full-time staffers. Now, a week later, the fallout is very real: Freelance writer Mike Albo, who penned the “Critical Shopper” column for the Times twice a month, has lost that gig because of his attendance at the junket.

When reached for comment, Albo — who’s also a performer, and author of the genuinely amusing book The Underminer — simply said, “I look forward to trying on cashmere sweaters I can’t afford for other publications.”

Thrillist Junket Fallout: Times Freelancer Mike Albo Fired