Dear Councilwoman Carmany:
It has come to my attention that your blog is accusing WFMY of using you as a source without proper credit. I take such an allegation seriously and investigated your claim. This is what I found…
The Coliseum’s public relations manager Andrew Brown is the source. One of our producers called Andrew Brown on November 7. In that conversation, Andrew Brown went over the highlights of the War Memorial Commission committee meeting. The discussion included potential for an arena football team and the return of minor league hockey. In addition, he talked about the lack of big name concerts and was told about the popularity of religious events.Our producer also asked about video opportunities with the Rockingham County inmates working on the Coliseum. We discussed in our editorial meeting about what a good, visual story that would make. Mr. Brown said that the inmates were not working on Monday, so we didn’t do a special reporter feature on the topic that day.
As a public official, you are likely aware that the agendas, minutes and transcripts of public meetings are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meeting Law. An elected official doesn’t own “exclusive rights” to public information, even if he or she decides to talk about it in a diary on the Internet.
If you have any questions and comments about our newscasts please feel free to e-mail or call me at the station.
Sincerely,
Gina Katzmark
News Director
WFMY News 2
If I have wrongly accused WFMY, then I do apologize for my error. But what a coincidence that a reporter would interview Andrew four days after the commission meeting and then write the identical words I had previously writtten to describe that meeting!
29 comments:
Congratulations on the win! I'd like to lodge a complaint that a "blog" isn't a "diary on the Internet". As shown here.
:p
Just an offthought. Could you look into why ever city road that I've driven on that gets re-paved, has the reflectors taken out? Even the old reflectors. When the rainy season comes, it becomes awfully dangerous at night and the current replacement "paint" they use blends right into the wet road when a light shines on it. Thanks!
that should read "every city road" above.
"An elected official doesn’t own “exclusive rights” to public information, even if he or she decides to talk about it in a diary on the Internet."
I have a few questions for Gina:
- How soon can you pack your bags?
- How much will you receive in unemployment?
- How much trouble will you have finding a job with such a bitch-a-tude?
- When will you start your lonely hearts "diary on the Internet"?
I can hardly wait, for any of the above.
That still doesn't explain the fact that the story aired on the newcast was identical word-for-word to the blog entry. One would think that there would be some variation between the blog entry and the newscast. It sounds strangely like a rationalization of a VERY inferior news organization that is worried about the legal implications of using unattributed material.
Could it be that when WFMY asked Andrew Brown, he thought "Somebody who wanted to know what happened???, Oh my god, what will I do!!!!. Oh yeah, Sandy Carnmany's blog."
Click, Click, Click and he's reading off your meeting notes to WFMY.
Now this would not have happened if the meeting and meeting minutes were open to the public via the web. It might be a rough start; but eventually, the real story will be told and understood.
Don Moore
Sandy,
I would ask for a transcript of the show in question. Then I would get an attorney. Then I would rename the station WSANDY, for they stole your copywritten material and I would sue the pants off them.
Congrats, on the victory. You definately deserve it. We need more like you on the City Council.
Using that logic, it's okay for Fox8 to watch the 6:00 p.m. news and report it verbatim at 10:00 p.m.?
Nope guys. You got lazy and you got caught. Say you're sorry. Don't do it again. Take the high road.
Notice that she didn't answer your specific question: How did a passage from your blog come to be used, VERBATIM, on WFMY? This "An elected official doesn’t own 'exclusive rights' to public information" business is an attempt to sidestep the question you DID ask by responding to one that you didn't.
There still could be an innocent explanation, but this ain't it.
Darkmoon,
I didn't like the dismissive "diary on the Internet" comment but choose to let it go.
Can you tell me which city street you are concerned about that was repaved but reflectors not replaced? Patterson Street was recently redone and it's full of reflectors. I really don't know how it is determined which streets get reflectors and which don't. I know that snowplows really "do a number" on them and destroy them in the winter.
Chewie,
LOVED your sharp questions! Waiting with you for the answers.
Don,
I know Andrew reads my blog because he has joked that I'm going to make his PR job obsolete. But he does attend all the commission meetings and is fully capable of making his own report. I just found it amazing that he and I would use exactly the same words to report on that meeting. (tongue in cheek)
Thanks, Jay.
I'm really not interested in suing anyone - just trying to make sure sources get acknowledged appropriately. Hopefully I have made my point.
Thanks, jw. You've certainly made the point I was trying to make.
Lex,
I totally agree with you. Too many coincidences, in my opinion.
Since it's a sidebar, I'll just mention it quickly here. Wendover has recently had sections repaved. New painted lines, but no reflectors (even though there were old ones before). Many of the newly paved streets do not have reflectors and apparently a lot of people have seen this also even though the old street had some. They are left with only the reflective paint.
When I drive down downtown this next week, I'll take some notes and let you know via e-mail.
WFMY would have looked a lot better, seemed a lot smarter, and been a bigger part of the community if they had simply ASKED PERMISSION or given attribution. That's all this is about - the civil, polite asking and thanking of someone for their material, elected official or not. Those who seek to point out the law in a snippy manner and in a public place, like WFMY's rep did in this blog, are usually the ones trying to divert us from the real question.
Well, sorry. It didn't work. And now you look small and I can change channels for local news with ethics.
In my opinion, any form of publicity is a positive attribute.
Sandy Carmany was the clear and decisive victor in yesterday's electoral tabulation, thereby enabling the longtime incumbent to continue her wonderful tradition of public service to our region.
However, as aforementioned by Mrs. Carmany, WFMY-2 should appropriately attribute the source (i.e., Sandy Carmany's weblog) of information used to compile its report.
Hopefully, Sandy and her staff will continue to foster a healthy, professional rapport with the local mass media outlets in terms of the dissemination of vital information and news to constituents/viewers.
Keep up the good work, Sandy.
Welcome to our world, Sandy
Darkmoon,
Re your road concerns - as you have probably noticed, there's a lot of work going on in and around Wendover and Bridford Parkway with the installation of sidewalks along both as well as medians at several intersections. I'm not sure if overall repaving will be done once this work is complete or not; reflectors could not be installed until that is finished.
As a follow-up, here's the response and contact information I received from GDOT staff when I passed your concern on to them. Feel free to correspond directly with Dale if you want to recommend specific streets/troublespots.
[Sandy,
If you have a specific location you’d like for me to look into, I’ll be glad to do so.
After 2000, we moved away from using the raised reflective pavement markings due to the negative feedback we got from the public referencing their relatively short life cycle. Our snow plows ended up putting these devices in the gutter. At the time, those devices were running about $4.50 ea installed. The snow plowable types were about $25.00 each installed. I have not checked prices on these items since that time.
The devices are very effective, but are pretty expensive, especially the long-life snow-plowable type. We used to have them installed where nighttime visibility was an issue, lack of street lights, etc. Most of the time, citizen requests would let us know where the devices would be needed and we’d try to accommodate.
Any direction that you have on a re-implementation of this program/practice is welcomed.
Thanks…
Dale Wyrick
GDOT Operations Manager
373-2783 ]
Thanks to all for your supportive comments. Hopefully I have taken a positive step in addressing future issues by applying the creative commons license that Roch suggested. It was simple to do, and I guess time will tell whether or not it is effective.
Ed Cone provides information about other folks who have had similar experiences with WFMY.
http://edcone.typepad.com/blog/2005/11/more_wfmy_news.html
Anyone detect a pattern here?
If Ed Cone discusses an issue, then there is a high probability that Dr. Glenn Harlan Reynolds, J.D., Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, will discuss the issue on his InstaPundit.Com weblog as well.
Then, with the backing of Ed Cone and Glenn Reynolds, perhaps you could seek exposure opportunities from Matt Drudge, Dave Winer, Ann Althouse and Daniel Drezner.
When the blogosphere erupts with euphoric, emphatic and empassioned support for the weblog of Sandy Carmany, then Sandy can retire and enjoy her newfound celebrity status.
Of course, if Sandy retires, we will likely lose one of the most enlightening, entertaining and informative weblogs in the contemporary blogosphere.
Keep on, keeping on, Sandy.
This blog is nothing more than a bunch of losers taking pot shots at a television station.
Sandy, since you're an elected official, how about using this for something worthwhile?
It seems this blog and other local bloggers spend more time attacking people than actually doing "journalism."
I was looking to this as a new, dependable medium to get my information, but it just looks like a lot of trash talking.
Honestly, I'd rather watch WFMY than spend my time reading this stuff.
I honestly don't know who to blame here.
If it was WFMY who knowingly used the information (and more importantly, did not give credit where credit was due), then blame WFMY.
However, as someone else has already suggested, it is entirely possible that Andrew Brown went "click, click, click" and "stole" the information/phrasings from Ms. Carmany's blog, which he then passed on to WFMY. I'm not saying he did or didn't; I'm just saying it is possible, and if he did that, he should be up front and say so.
What bothers me more is that the news director did not directly answer a point blank question about the use of a source without giving proper credit, and that is completely unacceptable.
And what is this garbage about the Open Meetings Law and so on? These comments were not something she said in a public meeting. They were simply a synopsis of that meeting. It seems Ms. Carmany didn't mind WFMY using the words. She simply wanted credit where credit is due, and rightfully so.
Whoever it was who goofed should have the intestinal fortitude to say "OK, I quoted her blog. I'm sorry" and be done with it.
Can anyone say "plagarism"? I think you can.
I think Sandy is making this up to get attention. Why would anyone plagiarize the writing on her blog? It kind of sucks and not really in the "broadcast" style.
The only local blogger with talent is Lenslinger.
Why would she make this up? Her record is all the "attention" she needs. She provides mostly good information on this blog, and takes her time to do so. She could be like a lot of politicians and hide in the corner when the tough issues come up, but she faces them head on.
While I do not agree with her Utopian views regarding the Coliseum and her blind eye towards the obvious problems that exist there, I also feel that she is doing what she feels is best.
All I said was that if someone used her blog as a source, be big enough to admit it and be done with it.
No, I did not make this issue up. I certainly don't need the additional attention -- have more than I can comfortably deal just being an elected official. I merely detected a problem and aired my concerns about it.
If you don't like my blog, writing style, or topics, for heaven's sakes, don't read it! Visit those that are more to your liking -- that's what I do.
Hi there...
Didn't realize because you have an internet connection, an opinion, and the audacity to speak out makes you a 'journalist'.
I agree with the above poster in that these bloggers are just taking shots; could it be they went down the wrong career path and are now regreting it???
Doubtful, I work in the biz, and if they wanted to work in TV for the money, they obviously didn't do their homework.
I'll give it to you, though, Sandy, solid blog. One of the best I've stumbled upon. I'll stop by again, and maybe make my identity known one day...maybe.
Thanks, anonymous, I hope you do make yourself known to me someday.
I certainly do not consider myself to be a journalist. I'm unabashedly sharing my opinions and giving my personal perspectives on things. I know is that is a big "no-no" in the (supposed) unbiased reporting of the news.
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