Cyclingnews plagiarizing articles?

[yakhillclimb]

Found this little piece on a journalism site. If true, I imagine this thread will be locked shortly and I will be banned. Oh well...here goes

11/8/2010 2:20:59 PM

From JON LITTMAN: On Thursday I had a similar thing to the Cooks Source plagiarism/infringement happen to me.

I wrote a breaking news original story about Lance Armstrong that the LA Times and Daily News could not get because I had original sources (I've been writing about BALCO and sports doping for 7 years; two major pieces for Playboy, where I am a Contributing Editor; 60 for Yahoo Sports; And a dozen for the Huffington Post).

Then Cycling News (an advertising supported site) quoted from my story late Thursday and did a rewrite moving some words around. There was no other source for the story than my article. It was as if the Washington Post had someone rewrite a story that originally appeared in the New York Times without any additional reporting—and without paying or notifying the New York Times.

Cycling News put no link to the Huffington Post. I contacted them and demanded they put in a link. The managing editor refused.

To me this is catastrophic for serious journalism, especially breaking news that requires original reporting. The LA Times would never have done what Cycling News did because their lawyers know it would be an infringement. Cycling News seems to believe they can get away with it (they appear to be headquartered in England). When I complained they put my name on the story. They refused to put up a link to the actual story, and say they never do that.

In more than twenty years of journalism and several hundred articles (I've authored 8 books) I've never had this happen quite as blatantly with an article. But I think it's the present and our grim future. I'm afraid there are hundreds of other for-profit publications with exactly the same ethics as Cycling News. There's money to be made in "borrowing the work" of journalists. Why pay for journalism when you can just "cut, paste and post?" Why create when you can copy?

I also think it's proof that the Cooks Source infringement is part of a larger plague.

On Friday Cycling News' managing editor repeatedly refused to give me contact information for their lawyer. After I sent a second e-mail telling the managing editor this was copyright infringement and plagiarism I found this on their site today (Sunday) — a 404 - page not found reference. They apparently knifed out my story to destroy the evidence. The original link (but not the actual story) is still up on google.

404 - Page not found

The page you have requested is not available on our server.

It is possible the page has been moved, updated or deleted. Please click the back button on your browser and try another link. [Permalink]

 

[boardhanger]

At the end of the day if I was in a car with known bank robbers, during a bank robbing spree. With said robbers implicating me in the robberies. Would I look guilty??? Who's Armstrong kidding?. It's like me saying where's my finger prints officer???

 

[Ferminal]

And you've done the same by quoting the full article/not linking

 

[yakhillclimb]

And you've done the same by quoting the full article/not linking

http://www.poynter.org/forum/?id=LETTERS

 

[auscyclefan94]

At the end of the day if I was in a car with known bank robbers, during a bank robbing spree. With said robbers implicating me in the robberies. Would I look guilty??? Who's Armstrong kidding?. It's like me saying where's my finger prints officer???

this post makes no sense whatsoever!

 

[Race Radio]

Given the garbage that Littman spews it is hard to feel sorry for him. A better question would be why would they use such an obviously biased source in the first place?

 

[TERMINATOR]

Given the garbage that Littman spews it is hard to feel sorry for him. A better question would be why would they use such an obviously biased source in the first place?

Can you show a link to one of Jon Littman's biased stories about Lance Armstrong?

Thanks.

 

[Maxiton]

Given the garbage that Littman spews it is hard to feel sorry for him. A better question would be why would they use such an obviously biased source in the first place?

Under the circumstances, an even better question would be does Cyclingnews.com have any journalistic integrity at all? Because what we've seen with this so far really calls that integrity into question.

I realize you were just using this thread for rhetorical purposes - so that you could take a dig at your favorite sports journalist. But the question isn't one of Cycling News' taste, but something more serious, namely and as I said, their integrity.

A rogue writer can do this anywhere. It's happened at the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, to name but two prominent examples. When this happens at such legitimate organizations, the offending post is stricken, the plagiarist fired, and apologies issued. Not to do so, without a compelling reason, would be a sure sign of corruption and illegitimacy . . . .

 

[brianf7]

Mate if Future publishing have breached your copy right then simply send them a bill for the second use of copyright. Go see the International Federation of Journalists and ask them for help.

I have had all sorts of problems with copyright over the years and I always tell them it is cheaper to negotiate copy right use before they use it because after its been used you can ask what you want.

If they have abused a copyright they will have to pay for it its simple enough just prove it and get a good corporate lawyer from IFJ .

Look up their adderss in USA . Google will have it. You will need to be a member if not already but they will help.

 

[Maxiton]

Here is the home page for Future PLC:

http://www.futureplc.com/

And here is their Wikipedia entry:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Future_plc

I suggest those who are offended by this breach of professional ethics contact advertisers, shareholders, and senior executives (pretty much in that order).

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Moving to the appropriate subforum.

Susan