Stephen Glass seems like the better comparison. Jayson Blair was definitely a massive and traumatic blow to the NYT, which called it a "low point in the 152-year history of the newspaper" [0]. But his fabrications, numerous as they were, were relatively picayune, and he was still a cub reporter career-wise. Der Spiegel's reporter, in contrast, seems to have had international accolades and was promoted to editor-status, and was trusted to write important/dramatic features concerning international affairs. Similar to Stephen Glass, which is why "Shattered Glass" was so entertaining.
Not that Blair's misdeeds didn't deserve the same punishment and gnashing of teeth by the NYT -- any fabrication deserves the career death penalty IMHO. But he was caught on his way to becoming someone of Glass's stature. What I remember most about the NYT's investigation/reflection into Blair was how he made up quotes/details regarding real-life people -- and how none of those people apparently complained (loudly enough) to the NYT. Apparently, they thought it was just par for course, which is a hugely damning and depressing indictment of journalism at large:
> In an article on March 27 that carried a dateline from Palestine, W.Va., Mr. Blair wrote that Private Lynch's father, Gregory Lynch Sr., ''choked up as he stood on his porch here overlooking the tobacco fields and cattle pastures.'' The porch overlooks no such thing.
> He also wrote that Private Lynch's family had a long history of military service; it does not, family members said. He wrote that their home was on a hilltop; it is in a valley. And he wrote that Ms. Lynch's brother was in the West Virginia National Guard; he is in the Army.
> The article astonished the Lynch family and friends, said Brandi Lynch, Jessica's sister. ''We were joking about the tobacco fields and the cattle.'' Asked why no one in the family called to complain about the many errors, she said, ''We just figured it was going to be a one-time thing.''
Not that Blair's misdeeds didn't deserve the same punishment and gnashing of teeth by the NYT -- any fabrication deserves the career death penalty IMHO. But he was caught on his way to becoming someone of Glass's stature. What I remember most about the NYT's investigation/reflection into Blair was how he made up quotes/details regarding real-life people -- and how none of those people apparently complained (loudly enough) to the NYT. Apparently, they thought it was just par for course, which is a hugely damning and depressing indictment of journalism at large:
> In an article on March 27 that carried a dateline from Palestine, W.Va., Mr. Blair wrote that Private Lynch's father, Gregory Lynch Sr., ''choked up as he stood on his porch here overlooking the tobacco fields and cattle pastures.'' The porch overlooks no such thing.
> He also wrote that Private Lynch's family had a long history of military service; it does not, family members said. He wrote that their home was on a hilltop; it is in a valley. And he wrote that Ms. Lynch's brother was in the West Virginia National Guard; he is in the Army.
> The article astonished the Lynch family and friends, said Brandi Lynch, Jessica's sister. ''We were joking about the tobacco fields and the cattle.'' Asked why no one in the family called to complain about the many errors, she said, ''We just figured it was going to be a one-time thing.''
[0] https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/11/us/correcting-the-record-...