Chris Arnold called out for plagiarism

His responses read like a person who is so embarrassed, so busted, so "Oh, shit," that the nervous adrenaline of guilt and shame make you keep doing more to further embarrass and shame you -- before you step back and realize the nervous adrenaline of guilt and shame is making you do more to further embarrass and shame yourself.

 

The funny thing is, I remember when Corby Davidson was Chris's little buddy.

 

He isn't a journalist either. Nor is he funny.

So he has that going for him.

 

Tuned in today around 1 p.m. to show Arnold co-hosts, and they said Arnold is "off today." Barry Horn from the Dallas Morning News, who essentially covers media affairs in the Dallas Fort-Worth Metroplex, wrote about the situation yesterday.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/columnists/barryhorn/20131014-local-radioman-chris-arnold-s-future-in-jeopardy-after-accused-plagiarism-over-tony-romo-article.ece

Now, here's what's really interesting. I know a lot of people around here thought Arnold's plagiarism was unacceptable. However, Horn said on Twitter he shouldn't be fired. Doyel said on Twitter that he was taken aback by everybody calling for Arnold's firing.

I talked to my old J-School department head, and she said that situation gets you tossed from the program. I'm beginning to think the situation is approached differently because Arnold works in radio and not in print, therefore his transgression should be pardoned. Either that, or plagiarism isn't viewed as a big deal. What do y'all think?

 

Honestly, people in the DFW market have no expectation of Arnold to act as a journalist because isn't one and doesn't even really pretend to be one. In fact, wasn't the column in question billed as something like "the voice of the fan?" (Yes, I know that's the name of the station, but I think that was the case here).

I really believe a lot of media people here don't think he should be held to journalistic standards because they know what he does.

I don't know what Doyel's deal is.

 

I'd never heard of the clown before this thread, but it appears he has a journalism degree and he has worked extensively as a journalist in the past (that is, if this bio is correct). Therefore, regardless of what he does for a living now, it's still technically media and he absolutely needs to be held to a journalistic standard when writing an article for a radio station's website.

Bottom line - he ripped off the work of a journalist and was an arrogant dick about it. Fire his ass.

 

No shit. "Journalist" or not, this is still a serious offense. If some fan copied and pasted this to his/her blog and passed it off as their own, it's still plagiarism. I would be taken aback if people WEREN'T calling for this guy's head. Every single case like this is more of a black eye for our industry. And like it or not, print/TV/radio are all viewed as the same industry.

 

We should give him a certificate because at least he tried his hardest

Fuck this clown. A friend of mine on the school paper got shitcanned for fabricating a quote in a tennis story that three people probably read. It was inexcusable then, and it's inexcusable at this level. Never heard of Arnold but I certainly hope I never do again.

Yet another reason why you can't trust people with two first names. ;D

 

There really is no industry standard as far as a penalty for getting nailed ... Haven't different journalists - and I hesitate to call Arnold one - been handled different ways for similar offenses?

 

Sorry, got ahead of myself ... what's everyone having?

 

The truth is, sports media is so flooded with writers/bloggers/columnists/journalists/personalities/etc. that you have to be a pretty freaking big deal before the offense committed really warrants your employer canning you.

Twenty years ago, Horn's story in the DMN would have exposed Arnold in such a way that his station would have to cut ties with him just to SAVE ITS CREDIBILITY. However, now, I think, that's just not necessary. My guess is the vast majority of Arnold's radio audience simply doesn't read the DMN. And, were he let go, if he is, in fact, a talented versatile guy that can do a lot of things, somebody else would shrug off the plagiarism and hire him.

Now, if his station is to fire him, it is because it believes he deserves to be fired. However, not because its credibility is on the line. Because it isn't, not a in a monolithic, with the masses kind of way. Just with folks like us probably.

STILL, the most amazing thing about this is that Arnold, via Twitter, doesn't get it. And that's why, most of all, I wish him canned. He apologized for not giving credit???? That's insanity. The way he presented it, AS HIS OWN WORDS, there was no place to give credit. He knew exactly what he was doing. I'm inclined to offer second chances. I'm sympathetic by nature. But what drives that sympathy is honest contrition from the offender.

Arnold needs to apologize for committing one a most egregious journalism sin: passing off somebody else's words as your won. It's what you cannot do. Period.

He didn't fail to give credit.
He fucking stole.
Apologize for that..