The 'Oxford Student', the lesser of two evil (IMO) student papers in Oxford was caught out quoting Oxford indymedia articles without giving any credit this week.
Last week the OxStu ran a frontpage article about a trial at Gloucester Crown Court.
The article was riddled with exaggeration and innaccuracy. So after the case was thrown
out, I posted an article to indymedia, signed 'not the oxstu'.
Throughout the events I refused to speak to the student press because previous bad
experiences have made me wonder if it's worth it. Imagine my surprise when this
week's OxStu quotes me as being 'very relieved' at the outcome and 'really glad
to have it over with'.
Comments lifted almost exactly from:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/11/280424.html
although, in true OxStu style, they still manage to make a mistake, even when
spoon-fed, replacing 'it's a big relief' with the words 'very relieved'.
And of course, they don't acknowledge where they got this from. A reader would
no doubt assume I had given them an interview and agreed with the rest of the
(bollocks in the) article.
The article was riddled with exaggeration and innaccuracy. So after the case was thrown
out, I posted an article to indymedia, signed 'not the oxstu'.
Throughout the events I refused to speak to the student press because previous bad
experiences have made me wonder if it's worth it. Imagine my surprise when this
week's OxStu quotes me as being 'very relieved' at the outcome and 'really glad
to have it over with'.
Comments lifted almost exactly from:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/11/280424.html although, in true OxStu style, they still manage to make a mistake, even when
spoon-fed, replacing 'it's a big relief' with the words 'very relieved'.
And of course, they don't acknowledge where they got this from. A reader would
no doubt assume I had given them an interview and agreed with the rest of the
(bollocks in the) article.
Comments
Hide the following 15 comments
see also
21.11.2003 19:05
related article
Mind That Reporter
21.11.2003 20:25
It's pretty annoying that so many of them don't understand that "quotation marks" should be used to indicate a direct quote of something said or written. Not just student journalists but 'professionals' on (in my personal experience) local newspapers.
If it's enough of a big deal, threaten them with the law - but otherwise just live with it. I guess people reading Indymedia are mostly aware that mainstream media is full of made-up stuff (Private Eye is brilliant for giving specific examples) and come to IMCs for a refresing change.
bobby
Judge for yourself. Are they NUJ?
22.11.2003 17:59
I think if they're NUJ cardholders (probably via NUS), then you may be able to slap them with the code of conduct. See
Sadly, most aren't and you have to chase them through the limited recourse you have with their publishers, unless they really go as far as defamation.
MJR
in defence of the OxStu
23.11.2003 11:28
Anyway, Indymedia rip off material from Oxstu: the interview with the Prince of Bhutan which was 'exclusive' to IndyMedia was actually done by Jools Malde, Dep News Ed of the OxStu, exclusively for the OxStu, and would not have been available for use by any other media without a guarantee of a mention of the OxStu.
fair's fair in journalism.
ex journalist scum
consistent errors even when sent press releases
23.11.2003 16:18
Every article about this cases has been consistantly inaccurate. The same goes for my past experience. Even when we sent press releases about OSSTW, essentially writing the article for them the articles were often incorrect. I didn't moan then because they were often positive articles but with this court case the facts are a lot more serious than just misunderstanding a demo or action.
anyway this is not a big attack simply a request to be more careful and actually check facts!
a harmless example: The die-in on wednesday was organised by an "iffinity group from Oxford Students Activist Network," not Oxford Students Activist Network itself (as it is a space open to everyone not a body that can have opinions or organise events.) and certainly not by "Oxford Stop the War Coalition" (had nothing to do with organising it) as was stated in the student press.
Regularly quoted in Both Oxstu and Cherwell
How does that defend the OxStu?
24.11.2003 11:39
The other confused thing is that the interview he refers to was described as exclusive to Anjool Malde, not to Indymedia, and it was apparently posted by them. Not a case of ripping off at all. Unless you know different?
MJR
errors much bigger
24.11.2003 18:40
as far as the innaccuracies go. Refusing to speak to the press does *not* give them the
right to print chinese whispers.
me
tell them
24.11.2003 22:58
Bitching on indymedia which I'm sad to say they probably don't read is not the solution.
please
update
26.11.2003 23:58
Although unfortunately, it's probably by now too late for this weeks deadline.
owen
in defence
01.12.2003 02:03
pf
e-mail:
someone@keb.ox.ac.uk
...
01.12.2003 11:10
Me
in that case...
01.12.2003 19:23
owen
again
02.12.2003 22:20
more scum
well...
18.12.2003 22:04
...you'll probably see what I mean by 'huge innaccuracies'.
owen
again
22.12.2003 01:15
me