I'd argue that the reporter did do the canceling, though. Canceling happens in three stages:
1. Someone with access to a wide audience learns of a minor transgression, blows it out of proportion, and blasts it to them all
2. People who heard about the minor transgression start pressuring the employer/school/business partners/social media moderators/etc. to cut ties
3. The employer/school/business partners/social media moderators/etc. kowtow to the pressure and actually do cut ties
If you've done any of those steps, you've participated in cancel culture.
