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July 29, 2013

Byline bandits at The Independent accused of taking credit for agency copy

By Axegrinder

It's been pointed out to me that some online national newspaper journalists are garnering suspiciously high story counts.

Take two online journalists from The Independent, who I won’t name to save their blushes.

A source tells me: “They have the highest story counts on the staff by a long way. They are however, two online guys, and have never reported for the Indy in their lives.

“They are simply instructed to put their names at the top of a lot of wire copy, so it looks better for the paper. This obviously denies the PA reporters fair credit for their work.

“You’ll know the Independent titles are culling even more reporters, i.e. people who get stories, to replace them with many more online people who’s job will be do more by-line stealing from the wires.

“I know every news website relies heavily on wire copy to break news, but most others credit the agencies rather than pretend it was written by one of their own staff.”

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