Two For The Road

MRS RINEHART has moved mountains of dirt in her mining career, so sweeping the sludge from Fairfax newsrooms will be a piece of cake -- especially as some who should top any necks-for-the-axe list appear eager to execute their own swan dives into the soon-to-be proprietor's gully trap. Showing the way is Ross Gittins, who has said:

“The independence of Fairfax is the most valuable commercial asset and could be easily lost if no sufficient respect was paid to protect the freedom of journalists as reporters to report without fear or favour, and as commentators to call it as they see it. I’m not particularly keen on the idea of anybody telling me what I’m allowed to say about the mining industry."

Asked what would happen if no guarantee was forthcoming, Gittins replied: “I would have to reconsider my position.”

 There is one of those 1900 jobs that won't need to be cut by fiat. And here, possibly, is another: Silly Readers Editrix Judy Prisk admits to a flutter in her matronly breast at being reminded of a newspaper in America whose staff voted to put it out of business rather than be saved by Rupert Murdoch.

The story that so moved Ms Prisk is here and should be a source of comfort to all sensible Australians. It is not just our own precious luvvies who exist in that special little world where, the more people decline to buy their journalism, the louder grow their assertions of its magnificence.

Gittins and Prisk should make a nice matched pair as they clean out their desks. Some months ago, Gittins was caught cold borrowing the vast bulk of his column with, at best, oblique attribution. Having been called to account, his exoneration was then justified by Prisk.

They will look just the perfect pair marching out the door in lockstep.

The Original and The Blessed

IN TODAY's Silly, the ever-original Ross Gittins addresses intellectual property and patent litigation, an interesting subject and, a quick check suggests, all his own work. Still, one wonders if this little sentence found its way into his column by way of Freudian slip:

...people like me won't be trying very hard to come up with new ideas

(Update will be posted shortly. Washing machine is unbalanced and shaking itself to pieces.....Load rebalanced and now hung on the line.)

UPDATE: Quite a bit of mail built up in the Billabong’s letterbox over the past two weeks, but this note and associated correspondence is easily the most fascinating item to emerge so far. It was passed along by a reader who reports having contacted the Silly’s readers editor, Judy Prisk, to ask what action her newspaper would be taking in regard to Ross Gittins’ cutting and pasting. Here is her response:

...Senior editors are looking at points raised about Ross Gittins's column. You will hear from me - or someone - soon.

Thanks again for your letter,
Judy

Judy Prisk
Readers' editor
readersed@smh.com.au

The Billabong’s correspondent waited until, eventually, he received this reply from the Silly’s deputy editor Mark Coultan. As an indication of the delusional depths to which the broadsheet Fairfax newspapers have sunk it is most revealing:

Thank you for your email regarding the recent column by Ross Gittins.

We do not agree readers would have been in any doubt that Ross’s article was about the OECD report and that he quoted from it extensively throughout, both directly and by paraphrasing.

Ross cited the OECD and the title of its report clearly at the start of his article and quoted directly from it in many places. Other markers throughout the article, including the conditional tense and references such as ‘‘the report asks’’, ‘‘we’re told that’’ and ‘‘the purpose of reports like this’’, make it absolutely clear that the report is the thrust of the entire article and that Ross is referring to it throughout.

Nevertheless we appreciate you having taken the time to draw your concerns to our attention.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Coultan

Deputy Editor

Now you might think no newspaper could do no worse than redefine plagiarism in order to establish a star columnist's innocence. But there is worse, as the Billabong's correspondent advises after checking Judy Prisk's tweets.

Remember, Prisk is the Silly's watchdog, the sentry charged with protecting its standards and enforcing its ethics.

Oh, and by the way, it is not just a Right Wing Death Bunyip who finds Prisk's performance more than somewhat lacking. Mumbrella is less than impressed as well.