Quicklink: From Reuters

April 13, 2011 ·
Filed under: Plagiarism 

Yesterday yours truly was contacted by a reporter from Reuters named Anthony DeRosa. He was working on a tome about how the mainstream media plagiarizes blogs. As you can imagine, gentle readers, I had a great deal to say about this phenomenon. Well, I am pleased to report this article is online and lavishes a great deal of attention on— or at least links heavily to— yours truly. Enjoy!

Miss Heather

Quicklink: An Open Letter to the Community Newspaper Group

February 4, 2011 ·
Filed under: Brooklyn, Plagiarism 

This item has been brought to my attention by my buddy down at BK Southie. He writes:

Heather,

The below story is posting on my site at 7am on Friday. But I know you both love a good blogger-hearts-the-newspaper-that-copies-from-him story, so I’m sending you the early edition.

Follows is the introducttion/a teaser:

Dear Community Newspaper Group,

Thank you for reading.

I genuinely mean that. I’m not bitter at all about the story and feature ideas you’ve taken from this site without credit. In fact, I really think that it’s fantastic that a mere amateur writer such as myself can make such a meaningful contribution to a cog in the News Corp engine…

Yes dear readers, it would appear my friend down south has had the pleasure of being poached. Repeatedly. Do take a moment to give his tome a read. It’s a hoot!

Miss Heather

Quicklink: Animal New York Gets Poached!

Many of you who have followed this blog over the years have undoubtedly noticed that a number of stories broken by yours truly have a strange way of finding their way onto the pages of Newscorp’s manifold publications within a matter of hours/days/weeks— often as “exclusives”. As you can imagine I find this phenomenon very interesting. What’s more, I can assure you it is not a coincidence. In fact, one of their own reporters even admitted as much! Alex Ginsberg comments (regarding my reporting about Cutting Edge Fitness):

Post policy prevented me from crediting you in print. Allow me to do so now. You did a fantastic reporting job. All I had to do was follow your steps (and make a few extra phone calls).

I won’t discuss at length the policy of not crediting blogs (or anyone else). I’ll just briefly explain that as long as we can independently verify every bit of info, we don’t credit.

You will find that the Daily News observes the same policy, but the Times does not. (They often write an explanatory phrase like, ‘The investigation into Mr. Spitzer was first reported in the New York Post.’ That’s not a real one. I just made it up. Although I would note that another Times policy would prevent them from actually printing the name of your blog, presenting them with an unresolvable conflict between two inflexible rules.)

Looking forward to “amplifying” more of your good work in the future.

So you can imagine my dark amusement when I stumbled upon the above item from Animal New York today. A very angry Bucky Turco writes:

While it’s common knowledge that the New York Post often rips off story ideas from local blogs—just ask editors from Gothamist, EV Grieve, New York Shitty, Vanishing New York, Sheepshead Bites and a handful of others—their latest article on the bombing of the Bowery mural, which was basically lifted from several ANIMAL posts, was particularly egregious…

You can read the whole sad story by clicking here. In closing, I would like to leave you with this quote from Newcorp’s spokesperson, Suzi Halpin:

The New York Post credits blogs, bloggers, and other media all the time, as our readers know.

Except when they don’t. If the Post followed the above policy to the letter their readership would quickly comprehend exactly how much of the content they are reading has its provenance from online/alternative/independent media outlets (READ: blogs). Welcome to the club, Bucky— and by all means keep on writing! Dozens of reporters depend on people like you and me for their livelihood!

Miss Heather

From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part III: Deja Vu

December 21, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Plagiarism, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

Eryana writes (in an email entitled “Bayard Balcony”):

was covered on Fox News…just now made the front page of Yahoo! News no less.

as far as i know you were the first to cover this, correct?  nice to see there are some fans of your blog @ Fox News, and that you’re doing their work for them.

Indeed. I take it was a slow news day, Rupert?

UPDATE, December 21, 2010 7:57 p.m.: it would appear Fox News’s video is quite popular.

224,629 319,610 539,111 page views and counting. Impressive. Where’s my cut of the revenue you undoubtedly gained as a result of this, my work, Fox News? Yahoo? Anyone?

Miss Heather

P.S.: I can only hope Suzi Halpin is trotted out (once again) to explain this gaffe. E.g.;

The New York Post credits blogs, bloggers, and other media all the time, as our readers know.

New York Shitty Day Ender: 14 Bayard Street

(Or: Rapunzel Special)

Rounding out today’s postage I leave you with this absurdity from 14 Bayard Street (the final addition— and thank god for that— to Karl Fischer Row). Me (to my friend Triborough):

It’s pretty impressive that this building isn’t even inhabited yet, but the balconies are already rusted.

Pre-rusted so you don’t have to!

He replied. To wit I pointed out the obvious:

I wonder what is up with that top balcony? Is this like in Albania where they used to simply leave the top unfinished with rebar sticking out so they can come back and add another floor later? We must look at the front of this building!

And so we did.

Let me guess: the owner of this building has a friend in the balcony business. It went something like this:

You want balconies? I’ll give you balconies! Meet me under the BQE at 3:00 a.m. I have a truckload of ’em!

To wit Triborough presciently replied:

Maybe it is like the spare tire for a car? If one breaks they have one ready to replace it?

Indeed. This is what happens when you “design” and build your King’s crap by the yard. The Balkan balconies of yesteryear can be yours in Williamsburg today, dear readers— for a price. I can hardly wait until this gem hits the market!

UPDATE, December 21, 2010: It would appear that Fox News wasted no time sending out a television crew to “get the scoop” on this most important news item. Read it and weep.

Miss Heather

P.S.: This building has a “Partial Stop Work Order” on it— but not for this non-balcony!

Point here, click and see for yourself!

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