Tribune suspends use of Journatic

[YankeeFan]

Friday news dump from the Trib. Yeah, they're really disappointing in an entity they thought so much of previously that they invested in them.

Sure. They must me shocked.

As a result of serious breaches of the Tribune's journalistic standards, we have suspended indefinitely our use of Journatic as a third-party producer of editorial content for our suburban TribLocal publications.

We made the decision after it came to light Friday that a sports story published in this week's Deerfield TribLocal contained elements that were plagiarized and fabricated.

Last week, we reported that the Tribune was investigating Journatic's practices and editorial controls regarding its use of false bylines, also a violation of our editorial ethics policy. Journatic, a Chicago-based company, started producing editions of TribLocal earlier this year. Tribune Co. is an investor in Journatic.

The Chicago Tribune's journalists are held to the highest standards and those standards must apply to all Chicago Tribune Media Group publications and their content suppliers.

The TribLocal story fell far short.

An investigation by Tribune editors determined that the writer of the story titled, "Epstein shows effectiveness on the mound," did not contact the main subject.

One quote attributed to the subject originally was published in a June 7 Deerfield Review story by Bill McLean. A second quote in the TribLocal story was fabricated; it was based on information in a story by Steve Sadin that ran March 29 on Deerfield.Patch.com.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/noad/chi-tribune-suspends-use-of-journatic-20120713,0,3361930.story

 

[Stitch]

I didn't see that coming.

 

[steveu]

So, Tribune, will you rehire all those journalists you bounced to go with Journatic?

Naa. Didn't think so.

 

[HanSenSE]

An investigation by Tribune editors determined that the writer of the story titled, "Epstein shows effectiveness on the mound," did not contact the main subject.

You mean watching the game in Manila on WGN isn't the same as being there?

 

[biggy0125]

You mean to tell me the guy making $6 to write the post in question wasn't taking the time to make sure that he was living up to the "lofty" journalism standards of the Tribune company? Get out!

 

[biggy0125]

Seriously though, pish on an electric fence and call me shocked.

 

[playthrough]

An investigation by Tribune editors determined that the writer of the story titled, "Epstein shows effectiveness on the mound," did not contact the main subject.

You mean watching the game in Manila on WGN isn't the same as being there?

If the moon was made of BBQ spare ribs, would you eat it?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

You get what you pay for.

 

[Alma]

Editor resigned, in part because Journatic owners refused to consider "quality" in product in any way over the efficiency of delivery.

<i>"I pushed for the company to consider writing and copy editing quality when determining pay and promotion. Both founders responded with new plans to focus on production efficiency metrics while ignoring methods to promote work quality and pride."

http://jimromenesko.com/2012/07/13/chicago-tribune-suspends-use-of-journatic/

Get used to this kind of response from more and more American companies. <i>Nope, we're good. We're going to continue to do what we do, make whatever money we can, and dare people to blackball us.</i>

 

[Bubbler]

Pretty certain Journatic has ripped us off at least once. Maybe twice.

 

[goalmouth]

Remember, that's pronounced JOUR-na-tic, as in "lunatic". Because only a crazy person would attach themselves to this disaster.

 

[Starman]

Rajneesh and Jugdesh are crushed.