violation
Khadija Magardie
The Mail & Guardian is demanding financial compensation from Reuters, after the global news giant printed and distributed an M&G exclusive on the Hansie Cronje saga, without acknowledging its source.
The article, entitled ”Cricket – Cronje blames Satan for his actions”, was circulated both nationally and internationally after breaking in the M&G in the first week of June. Although the article was written by the newspaper’s reporters, Reuters failed to attribute the source of the article, infringing copyright protocol.
After being contacted by the paper’s editor, Reuters then published a second version of the article, which acknowledged its source.
But the measure was too little, too late, as the story was published and broadcast on radio and television – a substantial financial gain for Reuters.
The M&G’s lawyers, in a letter to Reuters, said the newspaper had suffered financially from the omission, and added that Reuters had also violated an embargo condition that the article be distributed after a specific date and time. The M&G is demanding R100E000 in damages.
In a letter to the M&G’s lawyers this week, lawyers acting on behalf of Reuters said they were awaiting instructions from the company. The letter did not respond to the allegations, but said this should not be taken as an admission of guilt by Reuters.
The M&G article ran prominently in newspapers and on radio and television stations throughout Friday, without any acknowledgement of the newspaper.