Rawstory: Talon News appears to have repeatedly plagiarized content

[theorist]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=112

A ‘reporter’ from Talon News, the conservative outlet which employed disgraced correspondent Jeff Gannon, appears to have repeatedly plagiarized content from other mainstream media publications, including Fox News, Reuters and The New York Times, RAW STORY has learned.

Progressive blogger Ron Brynaert first raised concern about the ‘reporter’s ‘reporting’ Feb. 6 on his blog, “Why Are We Back in Iraq?“, though his findings have received scant attention.

I've been working with Ron on this story for the last week or so. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Also, I encourage all DUers to search out more examples of plagiarism. We are particularly interested in instances of Talon cribbing major news outlets (NYTimes, Washington Post, etc.). Feel free to post here, and you'll definitely get credit.

[jdj]

1. "That's called faxing". (Anderson Cooper)

[Rush1184]

2. I have seen earlier postings on how he plagerized WH press releases...

on his website. I think he even admitted to it saying something like he did not want to filter the news or somthign like that.

[theorist]

3. It's more than copying the WH and GOP releases.

Although the WH releases are copyrighted, it's unlikely that they will take legal action against something that they actually like.

This is about stealing the work of professional journalists. That's not the same as "not filtering the news". What Guckert and Bobby Eberle were doing was taking articles that they percieved to have a liberal bias and rewrote them.

[sybylla]

5. You should double-check that copyright law thing

Government press releases are not copyrighted. I would expect that would include anything put out by the Whitehouse. I'm sure you'll tell me if I'm wrong.

And having had a PR course with an emphasis on press release writing, I was taught that press releases are meant to be plagarized. You want your news to get to print so you write them in a way that means the least amount of work for the publisher. Obviously we expect more from credible press, but I wouldn't call Gannon/Talon credible. I don't see how this is plagarism.

[theorist]

6. I think you're right about the press releases.

I was thinking of WH transcripts, I think. (All this internet research is tiring.)

Right, so copying press releases is above par, but pasting entire paragraphs from news wire stories and putting a phony byline on it (as well as your own copyright) isn't. What we have found is that they go way outside the bounds of Fair Use.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Anything put out by the White House or any other government agency

such as, press releases, transcripts, photos, etc are not subject to copyright laws. The rational is that because all this stuff is paid for with tax dollars, we the people own it.

[theorist]

17. I don't know what I was thinking....

Our case doesn't really hinge on the use of press releases, but we know that they cribbed off of wire stories. The basic MO was to publish a "revised" version of a combination of two articles the day after the original(s) was published.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. Yes, cribbing off of wire stories

or copying the story directly and claiming it to be your own is definitely an infringement of copyrights.

BTW: Free Republic already lost one law suit for copyright infringements and Freeper Buckhead, the one who brought us the forged documents scandal, represented FR in court. I guess he's not a very good lawyer?

[theorist]

19. FR's copyright infingement case

I'm somewhat familiar with the case.

I think they were destined to lose. Members were posting entire articles. While that is very illegal, and we have to give some credit to the newspapers that sued them, it's different from putting your own copyright on a plagiarized article. I think the second one is slightly worse, imo.

Maybe GOPUSA should go ahead and retain Buckhead. :)

[McCamy Taylor]

4. Steve Roeder is a VERY naughty boy. Plagiarism is High Crime for

so called journalists, instant grounds for firing.

:spank:

[BuyingThyme]

7. You can add Associated Press to your list...

Rawstory,

I spotted the following snatch by Mark Messinger of Talon News. It's pretty blatant. He did a little word substitution and patchwork, but it looks like a clear cut case of plagiarism.

Associated Press on May 10, 2003:

...Asked if he had requested that Arafat stay away, Powell snapped: "Yes. I won't meet with Mr. Arafat."

U.S. officials expect Abbas to work vigorously to curb violence and move the Palestinians toward greater democracy as part of the blueprint's projection of a Palestinian state by 2005.

President Bush is counting on Israeli-Palestinian peace to lead to major changes in the political, economic and other systems of other Arab nations.

"Ultimately, economic success and human dignity depend on the rule of law and honest administration of justice," Bush said in a speech Friday...

Talon News on May 12, 2003:

...Asked if he had requested that Arafat stay away, Powell snapped, "Yes. I won't meet with Mr. Arafat."

Powell went on to say that he was "in close touch and contact" with European foreign ministers, and made it clear to them that America believes "this is the time to invest in new leadership." Powell added, "I hope that with the passage of time, my European colleagues will see the wisdom of acting in that way."

U.S. officials expect Mazen to work vigorously to curb violence and move the Palestinians toward greater democracy as part of the roadmap's projection of a Palestinian state by 2005.

President Bush is counting on Israeli-Palestinian peace to lead to major changes in the political and economic systems of other Arab nations.

"Ultimately, economic success and human dignity depend on the rule of law and honest administration of justice," Bush said in a speech Friday...

Here's the Talon/GOPUSA News link:
http://tinyurl.com/57m2v

Here's a link to one of the legit AP publications:
http://tinyurl.com/55rux

And here's a bio for Mark Messinger, fake newsman for Talon News:
http://tinyurl.com/5jh8z

Congratulations, Mark. You qualify for a White House press pass.

[theorist]

8. Good find, BuyingThyme.

I haven't been checking back here much today, but I'll keep doing it. If you've got a blog, please write it up and I'm sure Ron will link to it (or he could link here). Thanks a lot!

[BuyingThyme]

10. No blog...Just a nut posting on DU as BuyingThyme

I sent AP a report.

Perhaps the best way to get the press on this is to let them know that they are being attacked by a corrupt political organization known and Talon News and GOPUSA.

[Catherine Vincent]

9. In the words of Anderson Cooper....

"That's called faxing!"

LOL!

edit: oops, I see the first poster remembered Cooper's words. (snicker):-)

[BuyingThyme]

11. Add Knight Ridder to the list:

Contra Costa Times (Knight Ridder) on April 14, 2003:

... The woman's torso was found less than two miles away from where dog walkers came across the body of a baby with its umbilical cord still attached. The body, found in the grass near the water, was badly decomposed.

The coroner's office said the newborn was a full-term baby boy...

Talon News on April 15, 2003:

... The woman's torso was found less than two miles away from where dog walkers came across the body of a baby with its umbilical cord still attached.

The coroner's office said the newborn was a full-term baby boy....

Here's the Talon/GOPUSA News link:
http://tinyurl.com/6njxj

Here’s the Contra Costa Times article:
http://tinyurl.com/63hy8

[BuyingThyme]

12. Family Research Council -- Do they count?

Here’s one that kingpin Bobby Eberle stole from the Family Research Council. (I don’t suspect they will sue.)

Family Research Council on August 3, 2004:

...Currently, five states including Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada and Missouri have amended their state constitution in order to protect marriage. So far ten other states including Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, Oregon and Michigan will vote on constitutional amendments in their states this fall...

Talon News on August 4, 2004:

...Currently, five states including Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada and Missouri have amended their state constitution in order to protect marriage. So far ten other states including Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, Oregon and Michigan will vote on constitutional amendments in their states this fall...

Here's the Talon/GOPUSA News link:
http://tinyurl.com/5ttt7

Here’s the FRC press release:
http://tinyurl.com/3mvml

[theorist]

13. Right. As per the discussion above...

press releases are designed to be plagiarized. It does make a particular point, though, that they would use FRC talking points in their news stories.

You must be finding this fun. :party:

[BuyingThyme]

14. This may be the ultimate example of GOPUSA plagiarism.

Check out this atrocity committed by Talon News' Jim Hauser:

He stole this AP article by Mary Foster ( http://tinyurl.com/6cf9p ), did a little editing, and passed it off as his own ( http://tinyurl.com/655jx ).

GOPUSA just may be the most notorious group of copyright thieves in the history of journalism. You'd think that the so-called legitimate news outlets would want to cover this story.

Here's a nice bio for plagiarist Jim Hauser: http://tinyurl.com/5tvp9

He's a student of Ronald Reagan and J C Watts.

[theorist]

15. Clearly he couldn't find anything about himself to plagiarize.

It's pretty clear that he likes to write about himself.

[Cocoa]

20. Gannon's alma mater will be embarrassed

he really let down the respected Leadership Institute, which provides their students with two whole hours on "Media Ethics."

http://www.leadershipinstitute.org/02TRAINING/001BJS/001BJS-SAgenda.htm

Saturday

8:30-9:00 a.m. Registration/Check in
9:00-10:30 Welcome and Introduction
10:30-11:45 Is a News Career Right for You?
11:45-12:30 p.m. Interning Your Way Into a Job
12:30-1:00 LUNCH
1:00-1:45 A Producer's Life
1:45-3:30 Your Tools: The Tape & Resume
3:30-4:30 A Plan for Success in Broadcasting I
4:30-5:45 A Plan for Success in Broadcasting II
5:45-6:30 Finding Open Jobs
6:30 DINNER

Sunday
9:00-11:00 a.m. Media Ethics
11:00-12:30 p.m. Habits and Goals, Part 1
12:30-1:00 LUNCH
1:00-2:00 Habits and Goals, Part 2
2:00-3:00 Your First Job
3:00-6:00 Networking for Career Success
6:15-7:00 Conclusion and Adjournment

[BuyingThyme]

21. Oh man!

I found the outline for that class:

1. Thou shall not steal more than one sentence at a clip...unless you're in a hurry.
2. Blessed are the johns.
3. When in doubt, just say something about your family and the blood of Jesus.

[AuntiBush]

22. Read it the other night.

Honestly, the evil hits just keep on popping-up! A Dem would have been inpeached by now!

They're faithful followers must be :crazy:

[paineinthearse]

23. Rawstory finds more plagerism....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3172796