Comments on: When Newspapers Attack

By: Ron from MI

Ron from MI — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:42:39 +0000

I think the RJ being sue-happy is greedy, revengeful and a waste of PR time.

But those blogs that haven’t been original or not being fair in content usage other than their own are not not making any matters better.

Who gets screwed in the end? the readers and the bloggers that are fair.

By: Gary Sanders

Gary Sanders — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:36:29 +0000

VegasRex, I read your columns as I read other columns on OpEd pages. Yours just happen not to be printed on paper. Possibly other than editorial oversight, I don’t see a lot of difference in what you do than other journalists, except yours is usually better written and a lot more interesting . Didn’t mean to be offensive by referring to you as a journalist

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:16:34 +0000

Ted, nobody cares. Your site is awful and you are the biggest rube of them all.

By: ChuckReis

ChuckReis — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:18:48 +0000

You are kind of a dick. But I heard this guy in #ROC thinks you are kind of kick ass.

By: Keith Mc

Keith Mc — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:14:11 +0000

Sounds like the LVJR is trying to make a statement to the amateurs who just chop and paste the articles.

I think readers of blogs can usually ascertain within 10 seconds whether the work is original or copied. Rex is original. And that’s why I enjoy reading his commentary. Keep it up man.

By: Ted Newkirk

Ted Newkirk — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:19:43 +0000

From what I’ve seen so far, the R-J is not after people who cut a couple paragraphs and link back to the story. That encourages people to click over and read the full story (and the R-J gets the page view). We’ve never done it so I’m sweating nothing. In fact, over the years I’ve actually warned hobby bloggers covering Vegas that they could get into trouble over it. My warnings were ignored.

The R-J is being WAY to heavy-handed, but they do have the right to use all legal means to stop this. Don’t be surprised for other media outlets to start doing the same and online revenue makes up a bigger part of the revenue pie.

Per press releases: I think we were the first posting just about every one we got (yes, using wordpress) and others have followed. The PR people who write them are really good, so no need for us to mess with them (although we sometimes tone down a blaring headline and do some editing to the copy). It is only one facet of what we do (the first part of my newsletter has been a personal Vegas blog since 1999) but there is a market for it in a bigger context. It comes under the news aggregation that we do.

I feel bad for those being sued. On the flip side, since I follow the rules… why should someone competing with me be able to break them? Our page views come from hard work. Whether it be an original post or the various aggregation (which takes tons of time as every press release is read and edited and every outside news story is scrutinized by a human). Stuff that takes time and money. Not from copy/pasting R-J work.

BTW, setting up meetings with PR people is a pain. We’ll call in for media comps, but most of the stuff we do/shoot/cover is just done on our own. Rex style. No one bugging us.

I agree: One of these days, the casino PR people are going to realize that they are being duped by these people with 25k twitter followers. That does not mean 25k eyeballs.

By: keith

keith — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:28:21 +0000

If the people citing stuff from the RJ state that they got it from there, and even provide the link, how is that any different from back in high school/college, when you had to write a paper and cite your sources?

it’s one thing to cut and paste chunks of text then say it’s your own words, but if you openly state “here’s what the RJ said on the matter”, put it in quotes, and even provide a hyperlink to the actual article, then the RJ’s lawsuit shouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

By: LizzieGirl

LizzieGirl — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:25:20 +0000

Yeah. What Cathy in Albuquerque said. Except without the error. Just kidding Cathy. You said it very well.

By: Cathy in Albuquerque

Cathy in Albuquerque — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:05:56 +0000

proof reading is a lost art….

Darn, I meant to say – “I have never been OFFENDED while reading your daily expression.”

By: Cathy in Albuquerque

Cathy in Albuquerque — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:02:01 +0000

Dear Rex,

Each day I read your opinions and admire your pictures. I find your writing extremely funny and could never confuse this with an edited newspaper article. As you have mentioned, no mainstream newspaper in the country would allow/print a story with some of the expressive words you use (fuck being one of them). That’s just one of the unique things that you bring to the table/web.

I have never been offened while reading your daily expression. I sit here laughing and agreeing with most of your views. I check back several times if you haven’t posted anything yet that day. While you were in the hospital, I sat here wishing you a speedy recovery – while waiting for you to write.

Thank you very much for being you and sharing your opinions. You always brighten my day.