Comments on: The AJC Promises To Cite Sources

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Good point primadonnamomma. And I guess that’s because tips used to come from a large variety of sources. But what happens when those tips begin to be gathered and disseminated by single source? Does that not change the dynamic?

Oh and blogs like this one do sometimes engage in original reporting…just FYI.

And its not just about citing, its the AJC’s general stance in the Atlanta media world. They are very standoffish. In all my time, I’ve only twice received emails AJC reporters saying thanks. This is perfectly fine, if they didn’t troll the very sites they ignore.

Honestly, I don’t need all sorts of publicity. Hell I’m semi-anonymous what do I care? I just like to see the AJC to live up to its position. It should be creating a city-wide network of resources, promoting journalism and comradeship. Instead all bloggers hear are insults and many other ATL journalists feel slighted when the AJC picks up their story without a peep.

And though it may seem like I spend a lot of time writing about this topic, there are so many other things I’d rather discuss. However, like it or not, I find myself in a unique position…a local blog that provides real news in an unconventional way. As such, I feel like I can have an impact and help coax the AJC out of its cave. Maybe what I’m doing is counterproductive, maybe it won’t work. But at least I’m giving constructive criticism, I’m not just spouting off.

By: primadonnamomma

primadonnamomma — Sat, 09 May 2009 11:59:29 +0000

For mainstream, professional journalists there’s a big difference between getting an unverified tip from a blogger, the neighbor of a crime suspect or anyone else — and doing the legwork to prove the tip. What you’ll likely see in the AJC is a link to the documentation found by a reporter, a long list of people interviewed or perhaps a detailed explanation of how the newspaper did its data analysis.
Bloggers giving hat tips to each other is a nice way for them to drive traffic to each other’s sites, but that’s not the same as being a crucial, verified source on a news story.

By: nelliebelle1197

nelliebelle1197 — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:46:36 +0000

One of my many thousands of current job descriptors and an actual part of my job title is communications director. Printing verbatim press releases is pretty much par for the course- Creative Loafing once printed an article based on one of my press releases that was 6 paragraphs- 4 lifted directly from my release plus an intro and a conclusion by the writer. I don’t think that’s a huge deal in the media world. It’s been this way for ever; this isn’t some new media laziness.

Honestly, any PR person would prefer to have them lift straight from the page rather than losing a message or facts. We actually like it that way, to blunt.

Anyway, I don’t think a press release is really considered a “source” in the same way Deep Throat or Decatur Metro would be considered sources- the stuff of press releases like the pool release is just a rote who, what,when, where, how, why. Once we fax, email, carrier pigeon them over, a press release is pretty much public domain and usually isn’t cited to the best of my knowledge.

By: Macarolina

Macarolina — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:47:46 +0000

I’m bored by the commentors who can’t understand why DM wants credit in the AJC or other mainstream media. I get a lot of valuable information here that is obviously not covered at all in the AJC- and this information is collected and provided for comment free of charge. In my mind, free means that you have to take the good along with what might annoy you.

(personally, I agree with Decaturcomp that citing sources is good journalism)

By: Decaturcomp

Decaturcomp — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:50:37 +0000

Citing sources is just good journalism isn’t it?

I’ll resist a weak joke here about the AJC first becoming thinner and then more transparent…

In a world where many highly editorial programs and networks claim to be news sources, I am delighted to hear facts stated clearly and perhaps a little explanation on how various factions may view the situation. Argumentative talking heads or their equivalent ranting in print should fade into the past in the same way that bear baiting did.