The media in Sri Lanka has been taking a beating for so long now, it seems as if the journalists have finally abandon all hope and taken a running leap off World’s End. Of course I exaggerate – there are a couple of good eggs left – but really the majority aren’t even fit to be scrambled.

As far as this particular incident is concerned (instead of offering ‘dog ate my homework’ type excuses) the Island should ‘at least now’, act a little professionally and be accountable for what occurred. Yes, anywhere else in the world the Editor would resign or be fired – but in Sri Lanka it’s not demanded of him; it’s not expected of him; it’s not even blamed on him.

To the Editor of The Island newspaper: Please give us all a pleasant surprise and show the world you are a true media professional – RESIGN!

Whether or not plagiarism occurs is certainly not a moot point. That it did occur blatantly and despite the repeated complaints made by numerous bloggers is proof enough that it does matter to many of us and quite deeply. Professionalism is easy – for starters, you don’t copy others text without their permission and when it is pointed out, you don’t keep on doing it. Same form with this incident – you are responsible for what you publish. Even if you buy the hacker story (I don’t) why didn’t anyone in the Editorial Department check the first editions? Or is that really not a practice in the print media today (and not just The Island)?

Sanjana

Now I’m not sure if you’re joking or not, but a little glimpse into your blog makes me unsure. If you want to accuse me go ahead, call the authorities. I have nothing to hide.

Glow,

“It is sad that neither the traditional media nor the new media is able to admit to lurid lapses in professional behaviour… and insist on by the way responses (and sometimes absolutely way out theories) to justify any criticism whatsoever.”

Ha ha you read my mind there. A couple of years ago for one of my school assemblies a journalist was invited and she rambled about how important journalism is and all that jazz. Ever since that day I just thought, boy these journalists are just a small group of privileged people who get the opportunity to let the world know their opinions. Now I may have come to that realisation as a kid in haste. But isn’t this exactly what is happening today? Whether it be on the blogsphere or traditional media. Just a bunch of people with relatively good command of language bashing each other and making baseless accusations without regard to the mayhem they cause. The reason journalists are losing respect and the world losing those neutral observers is partly due to restrictions put in place by the powers that be that don’t allow journalists to do their job right *cough* “no independent observers allowed” *cough*. The other prominent reason I see is what Glow has mentioned, “a lurid lapse in professional behaviour”, just like our politicians eh? Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate all journalists, they are a very important and necessary part of the modern world, it’s just that I’ve lost hope in them like I have lost hope in our politicians.

If this is indeed the case, though one may never know, it is sick and wrong. This is not a prank and no doubt if this was the US, The Island would been sued out of existence by irate parents.

No.

Re the first response by groundviews, I fail to understand how this turned out to be a contention between ‘traditional’ and ‘new’ media. Sashini’s point is that the title is quite excessive and she is not calling upon anyone to be tolerant of the (grave) failings of the ‘traditional media’. The tendency of the traditional media to criticize new media is no excuse for unprofessional excesses on the part of the ‘new media’.

And please… not the ‘plagiarism of blogs’ episode again. This can’t be the case in point for ‘everything’. Many of us realize that bloging is a relatively new thing, and whether in fact an act of plagiarism occurs is a moot point… and hence difficult to judge ‘professionalism’ on this point (quite apart from the editor’s response).

It is sad that neither the traditional media nor the new media is able to admit to lurid lapses in professional behaviour… and insist on by the way responses (and sometimes absolutely way out theories) to justify any criticism whatsoever. The real problem seems that professional journalism has run into some serious difficulties, if today’s events are any indication. Let’s all address this sorry fact… shall we?

JJ how many different combinations did u try before u got the desired result?… or did it came off the first phrase u tried.. a pretty big coincidence if u ask me..

Groundviews u cant seriously think tht this was done intentionally can u?? Looks like some thing done just so ppl who want to gloat over them hv an opportunity to do so..

There was something that was written about the British period in Ceylon on an independence day issue and EVERY governors name was spelled wrong, someimes hideously so.

Just type in any line you see in the newspaper exactly the way it is within double quotes on google. Anyone can find it.

U seem to have a pretty good idea about where the rhymes are from?

Very suspicious if u ask me

What are you talking about. I found exactly what they have printed on the net and in the same order right here:
http://curtisvc.tripod.com/kiddies/nursery_rhymes.htm

There goes your hacker conspiracy.

Placing this in the Childrens section a is particularly carefully thought of strike.
This possibly means there is a fairly creative but admittedly sick person with access to your network, who can also actually string together somewhat coherent English. (and Im guessing that narrows it down…)
And this is probably not the worst this person could do, so maybe its time to start investigating. But how? Lightreaders?

Credibility, going, going, gone!

There’s a letter ostensibly written by the Editor of the Island in response to a query on this matter reproduced on Indi’s blog post on this same incident here – http://www.indi.ca/2008/05/happy-island/ (scroll down and its under Nilaksha).

A trojan or worm that’s able to meticulously change page layout and content in a document after proof reading? This means that the trojan / worm has to figure out what content it wants to replace, where, figure out its length, position the text, do the appropriate formatting of the article in Quark, InDesign or Pagemaker (one of which I suspect they use for page layout) and then send the final colour separated output to the printer.

Wow. That would be a first, but I doubt it.

Sanjana