William Bastone
William Bastone
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Full Name and Common Aliases
William Bastone is a well-known American journalist and editor, best recognized for his work as the founder and editor-in-chief of the online news publication The Smoking Gun.
Birth and Death Dates
Born in 1956, Bastone's exact birthdate is not publicly available. As of my knowledge cutoff, he is still active in his profession.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Bastone holds American nationality and has dedicated his career to investigative journalism. He is a seasoned editor and journalist with a proven track record of uncovering high-profile scandals and exposing government corruption.
Early Life and Background
Raised in New York City, Bastone developed an early interest in journalism. His passion for storytelling and pursuit of truth led him to pursue a career in the field. After completing his education, he began working as a journalist, eventually rising through the ranks to become a prominent figure in the industry.
Major Accomplishments
Bastone's most notable achievement is the founding of The Smoking Gun in 1996. This online news publication quickly gained recognition for its investigative reporting and exposure of government corruption, celebrity scandals, and high-profile crimes. Under Bastone's leadership, The Smoking Gun became a go-to source for news and information on these topics.
Notable Works or Actions
One of Bastone's most significant contributions to the world of journalism is his role in uncovering the details surrounding the death of actor River Phoenix. In 1993, Phoenix died from an accidental overdose outside a Hollywood nightclub. Bastone's investigation into the incident led to a comprehensive and detailed report that shed new light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Impact and Legacy
Bastone's work has had a lasting impact on the world of journalism. His commitment to investigative reporting has raised the bar for his peers, inspiring a new generation of journalists to pursue similar careers. Through The Smoking Gun, Bastone has provided the public with access to information that might otherwise be inaccessible, promoting transparency and accountability in government and public life.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Bastone is widely quoted and remembered for his tireless commitment to investigative journalism. His dedication to uncovering truth and exposing corruption has made him a respected figure in the industry. Through The Smoking Gun, he has provided the public with a platform for exploring complex issues and holding those in power accountable.
As a pioneer in online news publication, Bastone's influence extends beyond the realm of traditional journalism. He has paved the way for future generations of journalists and continues to shape the landscape of investigative reporting.
Quotes by William Bastone
Any magazine editor will tell you, Colin Farrell still sells better than Colin Powell,
The only stuff we looked at were incidents for which there are a paper trail ... (and) everything we looked up was full of lies. (Winfrey said) the belief this book is changing the lives of people trumps the fact that maybe the story is a fake. You would expect somebody in her position would take the ethical stand.
In off-the-record interviews with us, Frey admitted embellishing facts in the book for dramatic impact.
It's not often we have people who have been convicted of a crime -- in her case took a plea -- and have been photographed, booking photo taken, under supervised release, that they would think that the distribution of their police photo shouldn't be done. That's a new one for us.
One day we decided to put together a group of felons who happen to be nice-looking.
Turns out he's a well-to-do frat boy who, you know, isn't kind of this desperado that he'd like people to think he was.
The overall majority of contentions he makes in the book are not borne out by contemporaneous police records or by interviews we conducted with police and court officials in Ohio and Michigan.
I give Oprah a lot of credit. She's incredibly powerful and she could have just ignored the whole thing. She didn't.