Plagiarized by a press release

[Babs]

I post this mostly for commiseration, but also have a question.

So I was plagiarized by a team today, who copied a couple paragraphs I had written on a player and slapped it into a press release. It's not a team I deal with personally so I don't know these people. I called them on it via email, they apologized and corrected it on their own website. But I think they now owe my outlet, in a broad sense. What kind of chit would be reasonable to call in later on? Exclusive interview with the GM? More?

I don't want to say the level as it would give too much away. But it's not HS or college.

 

[tapintoamerica]

My advice: Don't be terribly frank about it. Soft-sell it. The PR people should figure it out.

 

[ringer]

IMO, all they owed you was a correction and a promise not to plagiarize you again.

I don't think it goes broader than that.

 

[Joe Williams]

Just funnin' here, but I don't want to be writing anything that the team I cover would be willing to put in a press release.

Come to think of it, though, even in a generally flattering profile of a player, why would that end up in a press release? And if it was just fact-based stuff, does that rise to the level of plagiarism?

 

[93Devil]

Rat them out to their boss and apply for their job.

 

[mediaguy]

Were you expecting to get like a gift certificate for this chit? "Entitles the bearer to one (1) exclusive interview with the General Manager. Expires August 31, 2009." I think the leverage you've gained is best left unspoken ...

 

[Babs]

Just funnin' here, but I don't want to be writing anything that the team I cover would be willing to put in a press release.

Come to think of it, though, even in a generally flattering profile of a player, why would that end up in a press release? And if it was just fact-based stuff, does that rise to the level of plagiarism?

It was very hard-to-find description of the player's play. No one else had anything on him, thus the needs to steal ours. It was more than just basic facts, though they copy and pasted that part too, just for good bad measure.

I don't see much of what they have that we're interested in anyway, now that I look harder at their roster.
Hopefully the bad karma will do its job.

 

[Moderator1]

They apologized and fixed? Move on, if this is something that hasn't been a habit. They'll remember and take care of you but if you try to "call it in," you might get an F you.
Now, if it happens again, that's a whole nuther issue.

 

[henryhenry]

how come when a reporter 'plagiarizes' everybody on this board demands his head, i.e, immediate dismissal.

but when a PR person does it, well, the reaction is so much more muted. why aren't people in high dudgeon, screaming sanctimoniously? what's with the double standard?

 

[Babs]

how come when a reporter 'plagiarizes' everybody on this board demands his head, i.e, immediate dismissal.

but when a PR person does it, well, the reaction is so much more muted. why aren't people in high dudgeon, screaming sanctimoniously? what's with the double standard?

I was surprised by the reaction as well. Personally I find it more offensive because usually PR folk are less "off the street".

 

[RickStain]

how come when a reporter 'plagiarizes' everybody on this board demands his head, i.e, immediate dismissal.

but when a PR person does it, well, the reaction is so much more muted. why aren't people in high dudgeon, screaming sanctimoniously? what's with the double standard?

Because PR people aren't journalists.

Being a journalist means you are responsible to uphold a code of ethics. If you aren't a journalist, that code doesn't apply to you.

 

[mediaguy]

I'm with Rick. I'm more likely to believe a PR type who says they didn't realize the severity of what they'd done.

 

[Stitch]

It's not your call on what to do if plagiarized. It's up to the higher-ups to fight that battle.

 

[outofplace]

They apologized and fixed? Move on, if this is something that hasn't been a habit. They'll remember and take care of you but if you try to "call it in," you might get an F you.
Now, if it happens again, that's a whole nuther issue.

Exactly. The "chit" is goodwill from people who can help you down the line and that also has value.

 

[Ace]

I've been plagued by press releases by never plagiarized.

 

[Babs]

Because PR people aren't journalists.

Being a journalist means you are responsible to uphold a code of ethics. If you aren't a journalist, that code doesn't apply to you.

So, plagiarism isn't wrong in the rest of the world? I recall being taught this forcefully in high school, regardless of future career.

I don't want to keep bringing this to the top, but I forgot to point that out yesterday and it bothered me.

 

[outofplace]

Because PR people aren't journalists.

Being a journalist means you are responsible to uphold a code of ethics. If you aren't a journalist, that code doesn't apply to you.

So, plagiarism isn't wrong in the rest of the world? I recall being taught this forcefully in high school, regardless of future career.

I don't want to keep bringing this to the top, but I forgot to point that out yesterday and it bothered me.

It is wrong, but that isn't the issue here. The issue is how do you best deal with it from here. They pulled it and apologized. You get some goodwill in the bank. If the person responsible is worth a damn, he will remember that and take care of you at some point without you asking. If not, asking still isn't going to get you anywhere.

 

[RickStain]

Because PR people aren't journalists.

Being a journalist means you are responsible to uphold a code of ethics. If you aren't a journalist, that code doesn't apply to you.

So, plagiarism isn't wrong in the rest of the world? I recall being taught this forcefully in high school, regardless of future career.

I don't want to keep bringing this to the top, but I forgot to point that out yesterday and it bothered me.

It's not a question of how wrong it is, it's a question of how serious it is.

For a journalist, it's incredibly serious. For a non-journalist, it may not be.

 

[henryhenry]

there's no difference between 'journalists' and 'non-journalists'.

journalists require no professional license. it's not a licensed or certified profession.

there's no 'code of ethics' - except maybe your unwritten one - because there's no license.

what the hell is a 'journalist'? does TMZ do journalism? perez hilton?

 

[RickStain]

there's no difference between 'journalists' and 'non-journalists'.

journalists require no professional license. it's not a licensed or certified profession.

there's no 'code of ethics' - except maybe your unwritten one - because there's no license.

what the hell is a 'journalist'? does TMZ do journalism? perez hilton?

That's a ridiculous statement. A government license or recognition is not required for there to be a code of ethics or the existence of a distinction.