[8] McKinley began his career in journalism while still in college, working for local radio stations in Ithaca and stringing for The Syracuse Post Standard from 1982 to 1985.

[9] From 1996 to 1999, McKinley was Nairobi bureau chief for The New York Times, where he covered the return of Rwandan refugees after the genocide, the fall of Mobutu, the rise of Laurent Kabila in the former Zaire, and the bombing of U.S.

[8] From 2004 to 2008, McKinley was Mexico City correspondent, where he covered the election of President Felipe Calderón and his government’s war against drug cartels.

On March 8, 2011, The New York Times published an article by McKinley on the rape of an eleven-year-old girl in the East Texas town of Cleveland.

[11] The story prompted outrage, not only because of the crime involved - a gang rape perpetrated by 18 boys and men - but also because of criticism over how McKinley framed the piece: relying heavily on quotes from individuals who blamed the victim, scant attention to reporting details on the boys and men involved, and an overemphasis on the impoverished environment where the assault occurred.

[12][13] On March 11, 2011, The New York Times public editor Arthur R. Brisbane agreed that the piece lacked critical balance by relying heavily on quotes from individuals who expressed concern for the perpetrators, as well as detailing the victim's appearance.