Standard-Examiner: "Weekly World News editors seemingly stole my story"

You know you've hit the big time when a tabloid newspaper picked up your story and made it their own. Mark Saal of the Standard-Examiner broke the story regarding the discovery of supposed fossilized Bigfoot skull -- which is really a rock. According to Saal, the Weekly World News (a tabloid newspaper) straight-up plagiarized his Bigfoot story. He cites a paragraph as proof of this:

Weekly World News story: “I was looking for some fossils,” the 69-year-old “semi-retired” anthropologist told WWN, “and I was kind of drawn to something in the ground.” It was a rock, sticking up out of the dirt. “So I went and dug it out, and you couldn’t tell what it was ’cause the head was face down; all you could see was the back of it,” he said. “But when I dug it out you could see the face, perfect.”

Standard-Examiner story: “I was looking for some fossils,” the 49-year-old “semi-retired” private investigator explains, “and I was kind of drawn to something in the ground.” It was a rock, sticking up out of the dirt. “So I went and dug it out, and ...” Well, you get the idea.

What's also sad about this story is that some of Saal's readers aren't being sympathetic about it at all. Standard-Examiner reader fieldingbandolier was surprised that the "fossilized Bigfoot skull" story was even published on the Standard-Examiner:


fieldingbandolier:

Having your story stolen by the Weekly World News is an unflattering indication of the quality of the story stolen. I'm surprised you'd highlight it. Of course, I was also surprised you'd publish the ridiculous "fossilized Bigfoot skull" story. Will you be reporting on the discovery of a tragic bat-child found in a local cave next week?

Saal's response:

Hi fieldingbandolier.

Thanks for the comment, as I believe this is an important discussion to have. I'm happy to have surprised you with both the story and the column. Surprise is good. But I'll see your "surprised," and raise you a "shocked."

I'm shocked by the sheer hubris with which folks try to tell me which are the important stories to tell in this world. I believe Todd May to be a sincere individual who honestly believes he found a fossilized Bigfoot skull. And while I didn't, even for a second, believe that it was Bigfoot, I did and do believe that it was and is a good story to tell. You can argue that I botched the telling of it -- which some folks have already done -- and that's fair enough; you may or may not be right. But I am of the opinion that only small-minded folk who believe in Journalism with a capital "J" would say this is not a story worth telling. And please spare me the "crazy" talk. Todd May is no more crazy than someone who believes in a God who created the universe -- or, I might add, those who have already made up their mind that such a being is completely out of the question.

The thing I love about writing -- about journalism with a lowercase "j" -- is telling folks' interesting stories. And if I had my druthers, I'd spend the rest of my career telling such stories. It certainly beats the stuffings out of writing about duplicitous politicians who say one thing and do another, or money-grasping business types whose primary passion in life seems to be chasing the almighty dollar.

Sorry, but I'll take the Todd Mays of the world every time.

Thanks for reading,
Mark

[via www.standard.net]