More on Leighty- UPDATED

Yesterday Commonwealth Conservative and Kilo both posted about the first stories coming out about "Leightygate" and correctly pointed out that the media was using material from this blog without crediting us.

Virginia Centrist has some fun at the media for their references to "a weblog" yesterday.

Mike Shear and the Washington Post have a second story up, a longer version that does include the source of the information.  Thanks, Mike.

The Virginia Pilot goes with the AP Story which mentions the controversy in detail, but not the original source.  I'm not complaining since they didn't take a direct quote from my blog, unlike the first AP story which did do so without credit.

The Richmond Times Dispatch story by Mike Hardy and Jeff Schapiro mentions both the controversies from "Leightygate" but also does not cite the original source. 

Jeff has his own longer entry on the situation on his blog and again does not site the source.  It's worth noting that Jeff's blog has not had a comment in over a week on any story he has done, a failure brought on by his own arrogance to the community he is attempting to join.

But the worst of all is the Roanoke Times story.  Michael Sluss takes an extended quote from this blog, and does not cite anything.  It's worth noting that the original Mike Shear story did exactly this and was posted at 1 p.m. on the Washington Post site, so maybe this isn't the first time Sluss has lifted without attribution.

As far as Leighty goes, he has reason to be concerned.  The Washington Post picture attached to Shear's story shows "Double Brows Down", the first sign of trouble with this Governor.

UPDATE:  Seth McLaughlin from the Washington Times also takes a direct quote without attribution at one point, but then later in the article mentions me by name instead of by the blogs name.  Fair enough.

Comments

Uh Oh, Leighty has hours to get an eyebrow up if he wants to keep his job.

[Norman]

I'm glad to see Shear, at least, give you the credit you deserve, Ben. Even if it's a day late and a dollar short.

While this may be the most high-profile example (to date) of the print press latching onto a blogger's work without attribution, it is not the first. It's probably happened to Conaway, it's probably happened to me, and I'm sure to many others.

It's not just rude - it's unprofessional, and even a bit sleazy.

[not gretchen bulova]

email addresses of offending writers:

mhardy@timesdispatch.com, jschapiro@timesdispatch.com
mike.sluss@roanoke.com

[Virginia Centrist]

I agree with you whole heartedly about blog quoting. These guys read our blogs and take ideas all the time. I just know it! Or maybe not.

anyway - as far as leighty goes. Kaine was basically like, "We apologized. Get over it." to the House GOP yesterday. Nice work.

In related news: I heard a GOP Delegate killed a bill submitted by Delegate Shannon yesterday because when he visited their office he accidentally put his coffee down on the wooden table and didn't use a coaster.

Also - a Delegate Hull bill was killed because when Delegate Hull was using the John, he refused to immediately exit the stall when a GOP delegate demanded immediate access.

Also, a House GOP Delegate has demanded First Rights. No word on whether the Democrats have agreed to this, although they seem likely to try to reach a compromise.

[Hans Bader]

The papers' practice of quoting but not citing this blog seems self-defeating.

More people probably read this blog than the back-pages of newspapers.

Incidentally, retribution is not just between parties (such as by Democratic governors against Republican legislators). It also occurs between houses of the legislature.

For example, Senate pro-tax Republicans and Democrats alike will occasionally kill in committee non-tax-related bills sponsored by anti-tax House Republicans, even when the House unanimously passes the bill, the bill is uncontroversial among the general public (including both liberals and conservatives), and the bill itself has nothing to do with taxes or spending.

[ZB]

Can we PLEASE agree to stop using "Gate" to describe everything with the least bit of controversy around it.

Watergate, I understand since that was the name.

WhitewaterGate, I understand due to the similarity with the name Watergate.

Even FileGate, I can see because it's got a good ring.

But when we're getting to PlameGate, LewinskyGate, LeightyGate, it's time to find another word.

Also, just because the chief of staff for the Governor says something for which he has to apologize, does not make it comparable to Watergate. There is a difference between a minor gaffe and a scandal.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

My own theory on the lack of attribution is simply that the major newspapers just don't like to admit that they're running with stories uncovered by bloggers first. It makes them look like part of the echo chamber.

What makes it even worse is when they pick up garbage as a real story and run with it!

[AnonymousIsAWoman]

Wouldn't lifting comments without attribution constitute plagarism?

Know any good lawyers?

[Interested Observer]

Lack of attribution for reporting is bad, just like reporting "facts" that are speculation or not in any sort of context. Pot, meet kettle.