Pergament takes WBEN to task over not attributing the News in Kane case

[SirRoxalot]

Of course the public doesn't care. This discussion is about ethics. I'm not surprised that you don't seem to care about those.

 

[TheBigA]

This discussion is about ethics. I'm not surprised that you don't seem to care about those.

I care a lot about ethics. That's why I'm responding. But as I said, the general public doesn't.

If you have proof that a radio station stole an exclusive story in an unethical way, I'll be glad to read it.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Well, now, since this thread is about Alan Pergament making that very claim, that would be kind of up to him, wouldn't it? Of course, depending on your definition of "unethical".

 

[TheBigA]

Well, now, since this thread is about Alan Pergament making that very claim, that would be kind of up to him, wouldn't it? Of course, depending on your definition of "unethical".

And as I said in my first post on this subject, his claim is very weak. His observations are what I would call coincidental. His newspaper reported a story, and 3 hours later someone else reported the story, as though no one else had access to the same information. In my view, crediting a tweet isn't journalism. It's quoting a rumor. Which is why, when the TV stations reported the story a day later, they quoted the print version of the paper, not the tweet. The print version of the story had all the details, and by that time, what the paper was reporting could be authenticated elsewhere.

But as I said, it's very possible that WBEN had access to the same sources as the paper, through WGR, and could authenticate the story that way. There's no need to credit The News for breaking the story if you do your own enterprise reporting and reach the same conclusion. Thus, nothing unethical. The OP is assuming that someone in management can't do actual reporting, can't co-ordinate between sources, and execute a tweet. It's my experience that managers are fully capable of tweeting stories. Especially on the weekend.