I said earlier that Albom should be forgiven, then I changed my mind somewhat. Maybe Albom should stay on the job, but he should be scrutinized ruthlessly. Alas, I think he won't get that scrutiny in the long run. As reported in USA Today:
Albom, a best-selling author, will resume writing for the Free Press, according to the letter written by Carole Leigh Hutton, the newspaper's editor and publisher. Albom's work has not appeared since an April 7 column in which he discussed the problems and apologized to readers.
...
Hutton, in her letter announcing that the paper had completed its internal review, said, "We took into account many factors, including the seriousness of the offense, the importance of our credibility, the history of those involved and Albom's 20 stellar years at the Free Press. We now look forward to that work continuing in the Free Press."
That sounds rather accomodating -- and enabling -- on the editor's part. I don't think he will be watched very closely, as he should be.
Too bad. If the best can make up stuff and call it journalism, and then get off relatively lightly when they get caught, then an essential trust is lost. I don't blame anyone who views news with a skeptical eye.
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