Media Giraffe Project --
Link & reference blog

Is this an example of how quickly the blogosphere can affect events?

Said WashingtonPost.COM's Executive Editor, Jim Brady (via Editor & Publisher):

"Plagiarism is perhaps the most serious offense that a writer can commit or be accused of. Washingtonpost.com will do everything in its power to verify that its news and opinion content is sourced completely and accurately at all times. "We appreciate the speed and thoroughness with which our readers and media outlets surfaced these allegations. Despite the turn this has taken, we believe this event, among other things, testifies to the positive and powerful role that the Internet can play in the the practice of journalism."

CBS blogger's take.

1. "Ben Domenech Resigns." Washington Post, March 24, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1575

2. "Media Matters to Wash. Post brass: Fire bigoted blogger," Media Matters,
March 23, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1568

3. "Washington Post's New Conservative Voice a Plagiarist: It's Now a Blood Bath," Daily Kos, March 23, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1574

BELOW . . . COPY OF "victory" email from Moveon.org, the progressive political action group.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24
Mar 2006 15:03:13 -0500
From: Adam Green
To: Adam Green
Subject: MoveOn Reaction - Resignation
at Wash Post

Weblink: http://civic.moveon.org/mediaaction/alerts/washpost_victory.html

Dear MoveOn Member,

Today was a huge victory for good journalism-and a huge
defeat for right-wing zealots and the Washington Post editors who caved to them.
You helped make it happen.

Just days after Washington Post editors gave right-wing hack Ben Domenech an online column called "Red America," he resigned today after his history of bigotry and plagiarism was discovered.

But now we must ensure the Washington Post learns the right lesson and never again caves to right-wing zealots who want to destroy the media's ability to hold power accountable. It was wrong for Washington Post editors to "balance" strong watchdog journalism by their reporters with blatant
right-wing propaganda.

Please contact the Washington Post today. Tell them to never again hire right wing hacks to "balance" journalists who are doing their job by practicing strong watchdog journalism. If they want opinion columns, the right and left should both be represented, but it is unacceptable to continue "Red America" by itself.

Below are links to today's Washington Post announcement, yesterday's Media Matters letter calling for Ben Domenech to be fired, and a Daily Kos compiliation of Domenech's plagiarism.

Thank you for all you do.

-Noah T. Winer and Adam Green
MoveOn Media Action
Friday, March 24th, 2006

P.S. Media Action is a campaign of MoveOn.org Civic Action
empowering regular people to reform the media and hold news outlets
accountable when they abandon strong watchdog journalism.

# posted by newshare @ 3:19 PM