Giving Credit To Sources

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-18-2006, 12:08 PM

For one of my blogs, The TV Remote.com, I do a weekly "spoiler roundup" of things that are going to happen on television shows in the near future. I search all over the internet and put together an article compiling all the "spoilers".

Being new and all, I never really thought about crediting a source with this kind of thing. I know as I get bigger, it will become an issue, but being a tiny blog, I figured I could worry about it when it becomes an issue. But with the spoilers, I also thought crediting the source would just send people to those sites so they wouldn't need to read my roundup.

So anyhow I was going and a guy at another tv site does a similar report. So one week he emails me all accusatory saying I stole one of his exclusive spoilers. Now this was days after I put it up and I don't remember where I got half my stuff, but anyhow. I published my article hours before his, so there was no way I could read his to copy.

So this guy is now one of the paid Navigators at Netscape. I submitted my recent Spoiler Roundup to Netscape to see if its as good as Digg for sending traffic - and its no where near as good - and who comments but this guy. He says he won't vote for my article because I didn't leave sources. So using his position of "power" he pretty much shut down any traffic I would have gotten from Netscape.

So to be fair and avoid a net fight, I threw up the two places I got most of the stuff from with links. So today I go to his TV site and he has his spoiler report up (which normally goes up every Wednesday) and all the spoilers were the same as mine with the addition of a few shows I chose not to cover and a few "exclusive" tibits he had.

So here is my question, with this kind of thing, what should I do about sourcing. If I source, I send everyone to those sites or other TV sites go and put up similar reports and I lose out on the traffic. Why should I put in the time and effort to find all this if I am just giving the sources away to other people who aren't putting the time in to finding them?

So I guess the question is to source or not to source.

**imported_feros** · 08-18-2006, 12:27 PM

If you don't source, it's stealing. If you borrow content, source it.

Sorry about the back luck with this doucher =/ You should send an email to Netscape outlining a complaint about this guy and they *may* do something about it. Especially since he's exploiting their system for his own personal gain.

**Plugin-Developer** · 08-18-2006, 12:31 PM

If you're drawing content from another site, you need to label your sources. What I would do is put via links at the bottom of your post that point out to the sources that you used. This is good for two reasons. First, you're citing your sources of information. Second, you're still getting readers to check out your content before clicking away.

Good luck with your decision.

-Nick

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-18-2006, 12:41 PM

I'm not out to steal, I just hate pointing competitors to sources. But anywho, I started sourcing at the bottom. Is that good enough, or do I need to source each item induvidually?

Yeah, I don't think this guy likes me since I started the roundup that gets more spoilers and published before his. And I doubt the Netscape people would care because he works for them anyhow.

**imported_feros** · 08-19-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNet-Tony

I'm not out to steal, I just hate pointing competitors to sources. But anywho, I started sourcing at the bottom. Is that good enough, or do I need to source each item induvidually?

Yeah, I don't think this guy likes me since I started the roundup that gets more spoilers and published before his. And I doubt the Netscape people would care because he works for them anyhow.

I might be a little idealistic but I would hope Netscape would care some. The guy can't just go around using his position to get rid of his competition. That's ridiculous.

And I don't think you have to list sources individually ... as long as you give credit in the content.

**Vi5** · 08-19-2006, 01:07 PM

Create a sources page with the latest at the very bottom (eventually the page will be too long so users won't check it and SEs won't pass on much PR, maybe even use no-follow on that page)

**Detach** · 08-20-2006, 02:41 AM

DOnt steal have a source

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-21-2006, 11:19 AM

I don't mind as much giving the credit as having the "competition" finding out where I get my stuff and exploiting it for their own gains.

I'm going to stick with just listing all the sources in at the bottom of the article.

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-24-2006, 11:25 AM

Ok, I sourced my sources at the bottom of the article, and I submitted it to Netscape and the Navigator - who works for TVSquad - did the same thing, neutral commented me and said I didn't source my stuff.

http://tv.netscape.com/story/2006/08...oundup-082306/

Am I wrong here? I sourced the stuff at the end, what else do I have to do here? Please help guys.

**Ganceann** · 08-24-2006, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNet-Tony

Ok, I sourced my sources at the bottom of the article, and I submitted it to Netscape and the Navigator - who works for TVSquad - did the same thing, neutral commented me and said I didn't source my stuff.

http://tv.netscape.com/story/2006/08...oundup-082306/

Am I wrong here? I sourced the stuff at the end, what else do I have to do here? Please help guys.

If you could check out how your *competition* sources their information, that get articles approved etc ... then you will know what to do.

It could be they do wish for individual sources within the content itself...

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-24-2006, 11:48 AM

Again, I do all the digging and sorting, and I'm just supposed to hand it all over to the competition?

**Ganceann** · 08-24-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNet-Tony

Again, I do all the digging and sorting, and I'm just supposed to hand it all over to the competition?

If your competition are already being published because they source the information, they are already ahead of you in terms of gaining that publicity.

You may look to other ways of getting traffic instead of through that service ... otherwise you wont get published there if they keep saying you aren't sourcing your work...

It is a catch 22 - so seek out alternative promotion methods / services that are similar who do not require as much sourcing.

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-24-2006, 12:20 PM

I agree and I am. It just burns me that this guy obviously has a conflict of interest. He has had it out for me since I started doing a spoiler report because mine is way more thorough than his. I listed my sources, I'm not just going to hand him a report on a platter and let him publish it as his own. There is a degree of research and sifting to writing the thing up, it isn't just copy and paste like his way is. Alot of times I will end up rewriting and editing the information.

I just don't see how he can single my article out when I am sure their are others that don't source as specifically as he does.

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-24-2006, 12:44 PM

Ultimately I do this report for the people. I love spoilers and there are people out there who do to. Yeah I get traffic from places like Netscape and Digg, but the object is to get people to read the stuff. The whole reason I started a web site back in the late 90's is because people weren't getting the information out about the topics that interested me.

If I'm wrong, hey I can handle it, but I am sourcing. And there is a difference between sourcing and giving someon carte blanche to take. And if someone takes from my report, I don't get credit my sources do, even though I did all the work of finding and sorting and weeding out the bs.

But if you agree with me, show them and vote for my article. This guys may not hit me with a negative comment, but what he says (or does) kills any traffic. And working at a competing site, that should be a conflict of interest. I have submitted articles to other categories and it has done fine, other AOL-owned blogs obviously get top billing but I still got good traffic.

I'm sticking with digg, this just ticks me off.

**DussRodg** · 08-29-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNet-Tony

I'm not out to steal, I just hate pointing competitors to sources. But anywho, I started sourcing at the bottom. Is that good enough, or do I need to source each item induvidually?

You see though, giving credit works for you in two ways. It gives those who go to the source site a credible individual sifting through the crap for them and I'm quite sure that linking to large sites will benefit your traffic listings as well. If you didn't write it, you shouldn't try to take credit for it. It's as simple as that. Not hating or anything but I'm sure if you have the patience to source the info, then you can surely either write it in summary form yourself or pop a simple link back to them.
Small deeds reep huge rewards. It pays to help people. Believe me they remember. :thumbup:

**MyNet-Tony** · 08-31-2006, 02:30 PM

I completely agree. Normally I credit by saying "The Hollywood Reporter reported that so and so did something"

My only issue was with my spoiler report since I spent so much time sifting through stuff. Do you think listing all my sources at the bottom is a fair way of doing it? That way it credits my sources without spoon feeding my competition.

**DussRodg** · 08-31-2006, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyNet-Tony

I completely agree. Normally I credit by saying "The Hollywood Reporter reported that so and so did something"

My only issue was with my spoiler report since I spent so much time sifting through stuff. Do you think listing all my sources at the bottom is a fair way of doing it? That way it credits my sources without spoon feeding my competition.

I think listing your source at the bottom is very fair. The author still gets the credit, you can sleep well at night and noone should get angry. As far as spoonfeeding goes, sometimes if you scratch the right back it'll come back to 10 times. Karma and all! :thumbup: