If you steal from us we will cut off your hands

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You know what makes us Sepia Mutiny Bloggers angry? We spend 24 hours a day blogging from our world headquarters in North Dakota for no pay. That’s okay. Some people don’t like our opinions. That is okay too. What really irks us though is when REAL journalists “borrow” story ideas from us without in some way acknowledging our existence. As bloggers, linking back to the original source is a requisite. On the flip-side, we will often blog about some topic on our site, only to see it a day later in some “legitimate” newspaper without any credit to us. This next example however, is just flat-out fake journalism based on content from our site.

Here is a comment that our own Manish Vij made on my entry about a racist city councilman in Orange City, FL:

Manish Vij on November 2, 2005 11:48 PM · Direct link
Wow, what an ass. Why not send Sherrill a polite, firm note: donsherrill@earthlink.net

Keep it clean, folks.

Later on Manish sent out an email over the South Asian Journalists Association listserv:

An Orlando city councilman made some incredibly insulting remarks about his Indian-American election opponent. Apparently his knowledge of geography is shaky… You can email him at: donsherrill@earthlink.net. Be firm but polite– keep it clean.

[Later] Sorry, folks, I meant Orange City, Florida.

Now, here is a quote taken from an article titled “Anti-Indian slurs mar US city council elections” about the same councilman, which appears in India’s Daily News and Analysis (DNA):

“I think it is important that Sherrill understands that he has offended Indians. We are inviting everyone to email him at donsherrill@earthlink.net. Be firm but polite — keep it clean,” said Orange city resident Manoj Vij. [Link]

Uttara Choudhury
Saturday, November 05, 2005 09:01 IST

See anything strange folks? I will bet my left nut that there is no Manoj Vij in Orange City, FL. I will bet my right one that this reporter created a fake source with a fake quote and forwarded it to his/her editors by using Manish’s comment.

From DNA’s website I know the following about them:

Diligent Media Corporation, which owns DNA (Daily News & Analysis), is a joint venture between two industry majors – the Dainik Bhaskar Group and Zee TV. With a reach of more than 120 countries and access to more than 250 million viewers globally, Zee TV has created a strong brand equity and is the largest media franchise serving the South Asian diaspora with presence in major global markets, including Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, the UK, the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Africa. The Group has transformed itself into an integrated media conglomerate with operations spanning the entire media spectrum.

The Dainik Bhaskar Group has soared to the top of the print media industry in India with its flagship Hindi daily, Dainik Bhaskar (India’s No. 1 Daily Hindi Newspaper), and the Gujarati frontrunner, Divya Bhaskar. While Dainik Bhaskar has a big presence in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, Divya Bhaskar is the largest circulated regional daily in Gujarat.

Targeted at a young readership, DNA is the voice and soul of Mumbai. Through news, views, analyses and interactivity, DNA provides readers with a composite picture of Mumbai and the world. Its interactive platforms seek to bring the reader and surfer at the centre of its news activity. [Link]

Anyways, I am hoping that our brother and sister bloggers in India can use this to help keep their papers accountable.

33 thoughts on “If you steal from us we will cut off your hands”

  2. The IP attorney inside me is enraged. At the very least contact that journalist and let him you caught it.

  3. I think it is important that Daily News and Analysis understands that they have offended Sepia Mutiny We are inviting everyone to email them at editoronline@dnaindia.net

    Or write to them at Diligent Media Corporation DNA Wing, First Floor, Oasis Building, Kamla Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400 013 Or call and fax them Tel: + 91 22 3988 8888 Fax: + 91 22 3980 1000

    Be firm but polite — keep it clean.

  5. here’s what I don’t understand:

    Instead of attributing the quote to the fake Manoj Vij, how hard would it have been to contact the real Manish Vij and ask for a quote?

    I don’t get it. Is it lack of time? deadline in 10 mins and no time to wait for a response? I wonder if the name was meant to be faked, or if the writer misremembered Manish’s name. Anyway, I still don’t get it. Perhaps I’m naive about how lazy jounalists can be…

  6. Manoj Vij,

    I heard New York Times pays really well. And they have an opening too…

    M. Nam

  10. Here is what bothers me. I have come to think that many South Asian journalists (particularly the ones in India) view certain blogs in general (and SM in particular) as the dirty little slut that they keep on the side. They may like what they read here, and they may use some of it to influence their stories, but they feel ashamed to acknowledge us since we are just a bunch of geeks wearing pajamas. We don’t even get jewelry on the nightstand as a thanks. I have written an original song to express what our blog is feeling right now:

    I know you like me (I know you like me) I know you do (I know you do) Thats why whenever I come around your mouse is clicking on me And I know you want it (I know you want it) It’s easy to see (it’s easy to see) And in the back of your mind You know you should be home reading me

    [Chorus] Dont cha wish your paper was hot like me Dont cha wish your paper was a freak like me Dont cha, dont cha Dont cha wish your paper was raw like me Dont cha wish your paper was fun like me Dont cha, dont cha

    Fight the feeling (fight the feeling) Leave it alone (leave it alone) Cause if it aint love It just aint enough to keep up on the computer that you have at home Let’s keep it friendly (let’s keep it friendly) You have to play fair (you have to play fair) See, I dont care But your paper aint gon’ wanna share

    [Chorus] Dont cha wish your paper was hot like me Dont cha wish your paper was a freak like me Dont cha, dont cha , baby Dont cha wish your paper was raw like me Dont cha wish your paper was fun like me Dont cha, dont cha

    I know I’m on your mind I know we’ll have a good time I’m your friend I’m fun And I’m fine I aint lying Look at me, you aint blind [2x]

    See, I know your editor loves you (I know your editor loves you) I understand (I understand) Oh but friend you’re secret is no longer safe with me

    [Chorus] Dont cha wish your paper was hot like me Dont cha wish your paper was a freak like me Dont cha, dont cha Dont cha wish your paper was raw like me Dont cha wish your paper was fun like me Dont cha, dont cha

    This is an original song that I wrote. Any similarity to this song is purely coincidental.

  11. Did Judy Miller make up sources like blair or just didnt reveal a source on a story which she never wrote?

  13. gosh… plagarism is so last season…

    but let’s point out… why would we expect journalists to do things differently than bollywood which already rips storylines from hollywood?

    either way, manish and abhi my mom always said that copying is always the ultimate form of flattery…

  15. after the Tshirts, we should have MutineerDolls!

    in varying states of work and play:

    Culturevulture Manish

    Coffeehouse Anna

    Vinod at the Roxbury

    and now –

    Mujhadeen Abhi

    😉

  16. There are several regions why those of us in India hardly read the Indian newspapers, and this sort of dreck is one of them. It’s all about the quick-fix in the Indian media these days.

  17. DesiDudeinAusten,

    What’s next?

    Been Caught Stealing of course!

    “And we did it just like that. When we want something, We don’t want to pay for it…

    Hey, all right! If I get by, it’s mine, Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine…”

  18. I will bet my left nut that there is no Manoj Vij in Orange City, FL. I will bet my right one that this reporter created a fake source with a fake quote and forwarded it to his/her editors by using ManishÂ’s comment.

    In the event that there is a Manoj Vij in FL and he said something like that (which would be a joincidence with a ‘c’), I wanna know who is going to execute the terms of these bets (your readers demand satisfaction). May I suggest an ‘ex-wife’ for the job – they are pretty good at this I here. 😉

  19. don’t know if you guys are familiar with stephen glass, but this totally sounds like something he would do. check out the movie shattered glass if you’re interested in his story. he was a rising star at the new republic before he was outed…

    anyway, what happened is pretty lame if it did in fact go down as it appears to have…

  20. Indian Journalism is full of plagiarism. Specially the masala paper “Times of India”. Lot of times I have seen analysis in Cricinfo which was then reposted in TOI. I think such so called writers should be hanged.

  22. Could there be some other explanation for this? Isn’t it possible that the reporter got the entire story off said Manish Vij, who she could have contacted through the SAJA list. I know many journalists who subscribe to that list. Was a link to your original post referenced in the mail sent out by Manish Vij through SAJA? Do post a reply, if any, that you get from DNA.

  24. My neighbor in the flat below me is Manoj Vij from Mumbai. He said the same thing as Manish and I am certain it was brother the DMC quotted. This is all a giant coinkidink.

    Yogesh Dorapandey

  25. It’s so confusing!

    Manish Voj Manish Vij Manoj Vij Manoj Vish

    How can we keep them all straight?

  26. Uttara apologized in email:

    Â… I really did not mean to take credit away from Abhi or Sepia Mutiny. I thought your e-mail which was circulated widely to the press in New York could be used directly as source material.

    I am very upset (with myself) about making a mistake with your first name. I put down Manoj instead of Manish — very sorry. I presumed you were an aggreived Orange city resident who was reacting to something that was going down in your neighbourhood — therefore the e-mail from you. In hindsight, I feel I ought to have emailed you back or not touched the story…

    I just thought SAJA was sending out stuff for an important India-centric story which as journalists we ought to write about. Pehaps, I ought to have e-mailed you back to clarify instead of using the e-mail as source material.

    —

    My reply:

    I’m concerned that the quote was altered– the text of the quote you used wasn’t in the email I sent to SAJA. I’ve had reporters paraphrase, but not that egregiously. This paraphrase altered the meaning of my quote:

    My quote: “An Orlando city councilman made some incredibly insulting remarks about his Indian-American election opponent.” [Later] “Sorry, folks, I meant Orange City, Florida.”

    Your paraphrase: “I think it is important that Sherrill understands that he has offended Indians.”

    This is a) not accurate (you could have just cut and pasted from the email) and b) implies that I speak for all Indians, which I do not. That’s beyond the incorrect attribution (name, city). The weight of the errors is so great, it appears to me like the changes were made on purpose to concoct a quote as opposed to regular, sloppy attribution…

    Using an email as source material is legit if you’re on deadline, though it’s always better to check with the source first. Making up the words is not!

  28. Why do I feel like you’re going to have to go a couple more rounds with Uttara before mutual understanding emerges? 🙂

  29. huh? You mean this story didn’t just fall into Uttara’s inbox, courtesy of SAJA? I figured it was a ready-made story, and all one had to do was slap a byline on it…

    Gee SAJA, where are my cookie-cutter-ready-made stories?

    /end sarcasm

  30. *not taking any shots at SAJA, taking shots at any journalist who starts a sentence defending themself with “I presumed…”

  33. Divya Bhaskar is the largest circulated regional daily in Gujarat.

    I am from Gujarat and I know for sure that
    this claim is bogus. I do not have any pointers to prove it, but you should be able to find it somewhere.