Using Quotes from Other Media Sources

[Kettner]

Is it allowed?

I know sports news sites on television often quote from newspapers, however, as a journalist are you allowed to quote a hockey player or something based on another article from another source.

 

[Songbird]

When I'm seeking info on the Web and find what I need, for example a quote by another coach who played one of our teams, I'll use the quote:

"I thought Squib High played its best game of the season against us," Lulac coach John Holmes said in a story posted at Daily Teetotaler (www.dailyteetotaler.com). "I applaud their ability to Boots us."

 

[tyler durden 71351]

There's nothing wrong with taking quotes from other media, if you can't get them on your own or they're really, really good. It's kind of embarrasing to use them from a newspaper or TV show in your own market -- to me, it makes you look like you can't get hold of people. Attribution is mandatory.

 

[leo1]

ask the guy at the strib (talked about on another thread) if it's ok to use quotes from another source.

i think most people believe it's fine if (a) you can't get the quotes yourself and (b) you attribute

 

[statrat]

I agree with everyone else. Get your own if you can, but if you must use someone else's quotes, always always attribute it to them or at least their paper...i.e "That was a great win for us," John Smith told Palookaville Tribune after his team beat the Podunk Stars in their annual matchup.

 

[happygirl]

I hope I'm not off base on this, but if the quotes were given to a group of writers, and you weren't there, then I think it's OK to use them without attribution. If they're exculsive to one organization, then they should be attributed. And I wonder if there's a statute of limitations. If you're citing incidents that happened years ago, I would think it's OK to throw in an old quote here and there without attribution. Does that make sense?

 

[PackOfGauchos]

What qualifies as a group of writers? Three people? Four? If it's an open press conference, maybe televised, perhaps broadcast on the Web, with select quotes e-mailed to writers who can't be on the scene (which PR types will do at times), then fine. But be sure of it. Otherwise, at the very least, it's "...Smith told reporters in Kalamazoo, Mich., before Tuesday's game." If you only see it in one or two places, never assume it was a gang-bang, and quote the sourcing publication.

 

[Shaggy]

I know of someone in a market I used to work at who would lift quotes from the competition, and didn't exactly attribute like he should've. Ego problems and all.

"I'm going to the NFL" Smith reportedly said.

That's a deck move.

 

[Ace]

I hope I'm not off base on this, but if the quotes were given to a group of writers, and you weren't there, then I think it's OK to use them without attribution. If they're exculsive to one organization, then they should be attributed. And I wonder if there's a statute of limitations. If you're citing incidents that happened years ago, I would think it's OK to throw in an old quote here and there without attribution. Does that make sense?

If you can get the quotes via the team, through a transcript or a web site, they are fair game, but I would still say "said in a teleconference or in a statement, whatever."

If you see them in the paper, you can't assume that everyone had them.

 

[leo1]

What qualifies as a group of writers? Three people? Four? If it's an open press conference, maybe televised, perhaps broadcast on the Web, with select quotes e-mailed to writers who can't be on the scene (which PR types will do at times), then fine. But be sure of it. Otherwise, at the very least, it's "...Smith told reporters in Kalamazoo, Mich., before Tuesday's game." If you only see it in one or two places, never assume it was a gang-bang, and quote the sourcing publication.

Even if it's a quote sheet posted on the team's Web site, even if it was obviously from a press conference that multiple media outlets attended, I think you should still attribute if you weren't there.

heck, you should probably attribute even if you were there.

that's an interesting way of looking at it. i know when i got quotes off a quote sheet i never attributed. i'm talking about post-game quote sheets for games that i actually covered.

so should i have written "'blah blah blah,' larry linebacker told a team PR intern gathering quotes for attribution."?

 

[Ace]

What qualifies as a group of writers? Three people? Four? If it's an open press conference, maybe televised, perhaps broadcast on the Web, with select quotes e-mailed to writers who can't be on the scene (which PR types will do at times), then fine. But be sure of it. Otherwise, at the very least, it's "...Smith told reporters in Kalamazoo, Mich., before Tuesday's game." If you only see it in one or two places, never assume it was a gang-bang, and quote the sourcing publication.

Even if it's a quote sheet posted on the team's Web site, even if it was obviously from a press conference that multiple media outlets attended, I think you should still attribute if you weren't there.

heck, you should probably attribute even if you were there.

that's an interesting way of looking at it. i know when i got quotes off a quote sheet i never attributed. i'm talking about post-game quote sheets for games that i actually covered.

so should i have written "'blah blah blah,' larry linebacker told a team PR intern gathering quotes for attribution."?

Not in that case. They are just gathering the bleatings of the sheep.

But if they team releases a statement from a player caught exposing himself, you definitely should attribute it because you don't know that the player actually said any such thing.

 

[SteveThePirate]

Bingo to whomever said don't assume it came out of the group setting. One of our writers lifted a quote from the competition for a second-day notes package, and was told later by the rival reporter that he had gotten it in a quick one-on-one interview after the group session. Oops. The guy actually was pretty cool about it.