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?