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K-State Today

October 22, 2015

Center for the Advancement of Digital Scholarship to present 'A Fragile Trust'

Submitted by Sarah McGreer Hoyt

Director/producer Samantha Grant

In 2003, a plagiarism scandal at The New York Times rocked the world of journalism. Now, the documentary film "A Fragile Trust" tells the story of Jayson Blair, the most infamous serial plagiarist of our time.

K-State Libraries' Center for the Advancement of Digital Scholarship will screen "A Fragile Trust" to open a dialogue about the work they do in support of responsible, ethical research. Following the screening, the center will host 30 minutes of Q-and-A with Samantha Grant, the film's director and producer. The viewing is free and open to the public from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, in the Hemisphere Room, 501 Hale Library.

"A Fragile Trust" is both a compelling narrative about "The Blair Affair," an important chapter in the history of journalism, and a complex story about power, ethics, representation, race and accountability in the mainstream media. Featuring exclusive interviews, including Blair himself, "A Fragile Trust" is the first film to tell the whole sordid story of the scandal while exploring these deeper themes.

Grant is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist and educator. Her approach to storytelling is influenced by her undergraduate degree in American studies/literature from Yale University and her Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. Through her company, GUSH productions, Grant has created work for clients including MTV, ABC, PBS and CNN, among others. Currently, she is creating an educational alternate reality game, "Decisions on Deadline," which teaches journalism ethics through an interactive and entertaining experience.

The Center for the Advancement of Digital Scholarship leads the K-State Libraries’ scholarly communication efforts. Scholarly communication is the system of creating, sharing, and using the results of research and scholarship, as well as the economic and legal processes that make up a part of the system.