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The Wrap Attacks Newser

Sharon Waxman thinks we're 'way over the line'

By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 3, 2010 1:16 PM CDT | Updated Apr 5, 2010 10:18 AM CDT

(Newser) – Sharon Waxman, editor in chief of the Wrap, has written a full-throated diatribe against Newser, which she complains is summarizing stories from her site without offering sufficient credit—despite the link that appears next to every story under the red SOURCE button—or traffic back to her. She considers our summarizing stories, in our own (much fewer) words, as we're doing here, to be "lifting."



Waxman also complains about the Newser Source Grid that shows all the Wrap stories Newser has summarized, because you have to click on the story to get the link to the Wrap original. "This should not be acceptable behavior in a world in which we are trying to build the new models for journalism," Waxman writes. "We’re talking about survival here. And this behavior isn’t fit, much less the fittest."

LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 3: Writer Sharon Waxman presents and signs REBELS ON THE BACKLOT: About six maverick directors and how they conquered the Hollywood studio system at the Book Soup, West Hollywood, CA. February 3, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 3: Writer Sharon Waxman presents and signs REBELS ON THE BACKLOT: About six maverick directors and how they conquered the Hollywood studio system at the Book Soup, West Hollywood,...   (Getty Images)
Writer Sharon Waxman signs 'Rebels on the Backlot': About six maverick directors and how they conquered the Hollywood studio system at the Book Soup, February 3, 2005 in Los Angeles.
Writer Sharon Waxman signs 'Rebels on the Backlot': About six maverick directors and how they conquered the Hollywood studio system at the Book Soup, February 3, 2005 in Los Angeles.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 62 comments
taleteller
Apr 7, 2010 12:36 AM CDT
I've read her site from time to time. She rewrites stories from Variety and others all the time, and gives a teeny link back to them, no worse than what Newser does.
jonbellwether
Apr 6, 2010 4:51 PM CDT
In typical Newser style, you've spun this story into total distortion and included a blatant lie that suits your interest: You do NOT include a link to every story under your red source button. In fact, you didn't include a link to The Wrap on the original story that you ripped off. If you're so smug and happy with the way you do business, why not be honest about it?
daydayup
Apr 6, 2010 6:23 AM CDT
I agree with her. The only credit newser gives is an inline link (usually only linked to one word) in the body and in the sidebar. The sidebar link isn't big enough to be obvious, and in any case, the source should be right under the story, as is custom when linking to sources. Waxman is also bang on about having to click through from the source grid to be able to view the source. I should be able to click on a link to go right through. But newser ain't dumb - they know that would hurt their own page views, so that's not gonna happen.

Still don't think they're leaching?

 
Sharon Waxman • The Wrap

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