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On 'Cutting and Pasting'
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by korzac | July 12, 2008 at 12:10 pm
465 views | 14 Recommendations | 11 comments
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In the last days I read a few articles on the 'bad cutting and pasting habit' of NowPublic contributors.
Look at this.
Well, I am living in Israel, and for a change, I see in the news that in the hypothetical Arab state of 'Nargybia', Dr. Via found a new Elixir d'Amore that will trow the Viagra to the trash can. Is that not great news for NowPublic's World channel?
Well without much research, only cross checking with the 'New Nargybia Times' to confirm my finding, I post it on NowPublic. After a while I go back to my initial source, the local 'Daily Nargybia', to find out that thy cut and paste the Elixir d'Amore news from AP.
All this to say that local newspaper, have theirs reporters working mostly on local news. They know the political people, but for international news they relies heavily on a few international news agencies, AP, Reuters, AFP etcetera, and PAY for their cut and paste. For many NP contributors, local news, even if pasted from local newspapers, have authenticity. They don't have to know the local politician personally. They are their daily background news from the newspapers the radio and the TV, and feel the political and cultural atmosphere of their own country.
For this international payed cutting and pasting there are are plenty of examples: La Libre Belgique here from Belga. Ynet here from News Agencies. Arab News here from Reuters. ExpressIndia here from News Agencies. TurkishPress here from AP. Alazeera here from News Agencies, to cite only a few.
The discussion on Cutting and Pasting is legitimate, but with some caution, not to intimidate contributors to post legitimate news of their own countries and then to call them plagiarist, to put it sharply.
The actual situation is that there are no demarcation lines between news as such, opinions, essays, fiction, story telling and whatsoever...
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (11)
at 12:24 on July 12th, 2008
korzac, I like this story. It's good stuff. Good points.
at 13:35 on July 12th, 2008
Even an opinion has a factual base and this base was at some time news. So, to say it in a tautological manner: news is news is news. If some one likes to 'improvise' on the news, then he write an opinion, or make a movie or draw an illustration . The 'cutting' of news from the event by a witness and then pasted as news in a newspaper is first hand news, but the dissemination of this news by others does not alter this first handiness. Dissemination is not plagiarism, (my opinion).
Rene, thanks for the comment and GS.
at 13:50 on July 12th, 2008
korzac, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Interesting points - thanks.
It is hard to get international news outside of the big news services - I wish there was a better way sometimes!
at 20:44 on July 12th, 2008
amyjudd, thanks for the GS.
at 17:57 on July 12th, 2008
Then there's all those news websites from local papers and area papers and stations, so, yes, I have 'cut and pasted' from some of those. If we want international news, it's very hard to find except on the web. Have to stay up to after-midnight to catch anything from BBC, Canada, Russia, or other foreign broadcasts. and that is extremely sporadic. (talking cable here, too)
I do highlight those I think may be neglected by the (compromised) major media, for the edification of NP users, etc. But since AP started their 4-5 word copyright brouha, I've tried to keep excerpts to a minimum and include attribution where given. And try to include something of my own to these highlighted stories.
So the sites zichi mentioned aren't the only news sources in my book. And if I do see an icon from AP, etc. I do drill down, search local sources till I find the original, and try to give credits to the blogger I may have found it from.
at 19:01 on July 12th, 2008
"They know the political people, but for international news they relies heavily on a few international news agencies, AP, Reuters, AFP etcetera, and PAY for their cut and paste."
Note: media working with AP, Reuters, etc. either have a joint membership agreement, wherein they share material, or else they are a licensed content provider. So it's not like if John Q. Smith here on NP copies and pastes something and puts it here on NP under his name--that would be plagiarism and copyright violation. The professional media use the agreed-upon format and properly attribute the material (or should). If they add more information locally, you'll usually see an annotation to that effect at the bottom of the story.
Just the facts.
at 20:57 on July 12th, 2008
PEP, thanks for your clarification.
at 19:17 on July 12th, 2008
korzac, I like this story. It's good stuff.
The discussion on Cutting and Pasting is legitimate, but with some caution, not to intimidate contributors to post legitimate news of their own countries and then to call them plagiarist, to put it sharply.
Good points. Cut and pasted items must be clearly attributed to the original source(s). I find it confusing that quoting is considered by many to be plagiarism.
Academic research involves finding different quotes/research and coming to a conclusion. This is often referred to as "Standing on the shoulders of giants".
at 20:59 on July 12th, 2008
Heritage, thanks for the comment and the GS.
at 20:02 on July 12th, 2008
well to ask from citizen journalists to do research and post original self created stories everyday will be to much.I think the highlight tool is a good thing till the timr ethics of journalism are adhered to.
at 12:14 on July 13th, 2008
azzayindia, I agree with you.
Thanks for the comment.