Mediagazer: Columbia Spectator fires staffer for plagiarism (Jim Romenesko)

5:50 PM ET, September 7, 2012

Top News:

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Columbia University editor plagiarizes from New York Times article — An article by Jade Bonacolta in the Columbia Spectator plagiarized a New York Times writer's work, Peter Jacobs reports. Some of the plagiarism is clumsy rewriting of a Robin Pogrebin article; there's one outright lift of a quote.

Discussion: mediabistro.com and IvyGate

Sarah Darville / Columbia Daily Spectator:

Editor's note, updated — An article in Thursday's arts and entertainment section included plagiarized content, and a writer's relationship with Spectator has been terminated. — Yesterday, Spectator published an editor's note in response to an article in Thursday's A&E section titled …

Discussion: IvyGate, Thanks:@ivygate

Jim Romenesko:

Columbia Spectator fires staffer for plagiarism — The IvyGate blog reported Thursday that Columbia Spectator associate arts and entertainment editor Jade Bonacolta plagiarized three paragraphs from the New York Times. — Spectator editor-in-chief Sarah Darville tells her staff this afternoon …

Discussion: Columbia Daily Spectator

Jim Romenesko:

Ex-Journal Register staffer: Chapter 11/sale news isn't a surprise — From RACHEL JACKSON, former Journal Register employee: The [Journal Register] Chapter 11/sale announcement does not surprise me in the least - and the employee you quoted as calling this “horses**t” is exactly right.

Adrienne LaFrance / Nieman Journalism Lab:
Why does Project Thunderdome have to be in New York City?

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest, CJR and eMedia Vitals

Dan Kennedy / Nieman Journalism Lab:
How Journal Register's bankruptcy might affect the revival of the New Haven Register

Discussion: GigaOM

Wall Street Journal:

Apple Seeks to Create Pandora Rival — Apple Inc. is in talks to license music for a custom-radio service similar to the popular one operated by Pandora Media Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be a bid by the hardware maker to expand its dominance in online music.

Phil Wahba / Reuters: Pandora shares down 14 percent on reports of rival Apple service

Drew Olanoff / TechCrunch:

Barack Obama's Record-Setting Speech: 52,757 Tweets Per Minute, 9M Total DNC Tweets — The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, spoke at the Democratic National Convention tonight and broke some Twitter records (for politics) while he was at it, according to the company.

Discussion: Mediaite, Politico, Forbes, CNET, ABCNEWS, Twitter Blog, The Next Web, Rolling Stone, PC Magazine and Lost Remote

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Shepard Fairey gets probation for actions in AP photo case — A New York judge has sentenced artist Shepard Fairey to two years of probation and 300 hours of community service for lying and destroying evidence relevant to the Associated Press' complaint that he'd used one of its images …

Discussion: The Wrap, ArtsBeat, Forbes, FishbowlNY, Christian Science Monitor, The Atlantic Wire, Guardian, Politicker and The Newspaper Guild

Michael Cieply / New York Times:

Fox to Offer Digital Movies Closer to Theatrical Release — LOS ANGELES — Fox is about to pry open the window for digital film sales. — Beginning later this month with Ridley Scott's science fiction thriller “Prometheus,” the studio plans to offer high-definition versions of its films …

Discussion: WebProNews, The Verge, Mashable!, Engadget and Gizmodo

Hazel Sheffield / CJR:

Identity crisis — Journatic's short-lived editorial director Mike Fourcher weighs in … Why did Brian Timpone want you on the Journatic team? — Because I had an understanding of community news, and how to serve communities. — How much of that did you get to put into practice at Journatic?

Discussion: @mathewi

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Foster Kamer to leave ‘The New York Observer’ for ‘Complex’ — Latest change to The New York Observer's masthead: Foster Kamer is leaving the paper for a job at Complex, the hip-hop lifestyle infused magazine and website founded by Mark Ecko in 2002. — Kamer, who's bounced around …

Discussion: FishbowlNY

BBC:

Phone hacking police arrest journalist — Operation Tuleta is investigating computer hacking — Another journalist has been arrested by police investigating the alleged hacking of stolen mobile phones. — The 33-year-old man remains in custody after going to a police station in south London by appointment on Friday.

Discussion: Guardian and Press Association

Guardian:
News International may face 230 new claims over alleged phone hacking

Discussion: Guardian and The Independent

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Providence Journal to cut staff — The Providence Journal will offer buyouts to employees and impose layoffs if it doesn't get enough takers, Ted Nesi reports. Employees have until Sept. 17 to volunteer; their last day at work will be Sept. 30. — The Guild doesn't know how many employees A.H. Belo …

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest, riguild.org and The Newspaper Guild

Paula Hancocks / CNN:

Slain Japanese journalist's partner tells of grief at Syria killing — (CNN) — Mika Yamamoto's first day in Syria would also be her last. A veteran war reporter, Yamamoto had accepted an assignment to cover the increasing violence in the country last month, as she had in the past in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans.