Fareed Zakaria rose quickly into the rarefied strata of the prominent public intellectual after he authored a Newsweek cover story (“Why They Hate Us”) on the 9/11 attacks. He’s an extraordinarily prolific writer, hosts a television program, and makes frequent public appearances.
As reported by The New York Times, he recently experienced a reputational crisis after several paragraphs in one of his columns for Time magazine featured several paragraphs that were almost identical to a New Yorker article.
The incident was judged a one-time event—a mistake from an over-committed writer—after several publications undertook a thorough review of his past work.
Mr. Zakaria has since cut back on engagements. It is worth emphasizing the lesson he gives us—expanding your brand across platforms offers visibility, but it is important that all material reflects your values.