The research paper ‘News Theft: A Study of Plagiarism by Citizen Journalists’ has been presented by Doctoral Scholar Rabia Noor at 3-day National Symposium on ‘Perspectives on Metrics Based Research Evaluation’ held on March 10-12, 2014 at University of Kashmir, Srinagar. The main objective of the study was to find out if citizen journalists post original news stories on websites offering citizen journalism platform or plagiarise the content from the websites of mainstream news organisations. The study used Content Analysis of political news stories published on two citizen journalism news portals of India, viz., MeriNews and MyNews. The stories were checked for plagiarism using anti-plagiarism software, Viper. Political beat was selected for analysis, since it is treated as the most important beat in mainstream journalism.

1. NEWS THEFT
A Study of Plagiarism
by Citizen Journalists
Rabia Noor
Doctoral Scholar
MERC

3. • Plagiarism =
Googling +
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V
• Equivalent to
theft
• As old as the
written word

4. Objective of Study
If CJs post original
news stories on
websites offering CJ
platform...
...or they plagiarise
the content from
mainstream
organisations

5. Content Analysis

7. • First Exclusive CJ Site of India,
launched in 2006
• More than 20,000 registered
CJs since 2006

8. Reference Period
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2011

9. Systematic Sampling
10 % political stories were analysed

10. Politics treated as the most important beat in media
(Murthy, Ramakrishna and Melkote, 2010)

11. Findings
• 44% stories were found to be plagiarised
• Lifted from established newspapers, news
agencies, news portals

12.  Uploaded on MeriNews on February 6, 2010 at
05:13:25 PM
http://www.merinews.com/article/jammu-and-kashmir-to-have-50-new-
itis/15797067.shtml
 Originally published on JK Monitor blog on
February 6, 2010 at 6:41 AM (Over 10 hours earlier
than MeriNews)
http://jkmonitor.blogspot.in/2010/02/jk-to-have-50-new-itis.html
Jammu and Kashmir to have 50 new ITIs

13. Mayawati launches Mission Cleanse-
BSP
 Uploaded on MyNews on April 18, 2010
http://www.mynews.in/News/_mayawati_launches_mission_cleanse_bsp_
_N47747.html
 Originally published by The Times of India some
hours before
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-
18/lucknow/28148630_1_cleansing-drive-bahujan-samaj-party-mayawati

14. Justice Srikrishna Committee report
over Telangana issue expected today
 Uploaded on MeriNews on December 30, 2010
http://www.merinews.com/article/justice-srikrishna-committee-report-
over-telangana-issue-expected-today/15838927.shtml
 Originally carried by Times Now on the same day
http://www.timesnow.tv/articleshow/msid-4361597,prtpage-1.cms

15.  Apply gatekeeping to CJ content
 Enforce stringent plagiarism policy measures and
serve penalties
 Make use of anti-plagiarism softwares a regular
practice