Dear WWD,
We love you, and respect you, and can’t wake up without you.
But when you read a piece of important information on our site, or when we email you news stories we’ve broken, it would be great if you could credit us.
We know you mean us when you say, “Our Sources,” but not everyone else does.
We don’t mean any disrespect, but you’re not the only one who breaks news anymore.
xoxo
Fashionista
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 1:16PM
Dear Fashionista,
We meh you, and eh you, and can and do wake up without you.
But when you read a piece of important information from our publication, it would be great if you didn't simply republish said information verbatim.
We know you mean "WWD" in the by-credit when you say, "Natalie" or "Britt" or "Bret" but not everyone else does.
We don't mean any disrespect, but you don't break any news anymore.
xoxo
WWD
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 1:29PM
Calm down commenters. There was a great article on Salon.com about mainstream publications ripping off blogs and calling it an "exclusive." This is a widespread problem and (no offence to bloggers!) part of the reason that mainstream publications are starting to suck ass.
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 1:40PM
Wow, this is extremely unprofessional of you guys at Fashionista. Instead of writing a bitchy open letter, why don't you concentrate more on writing said news stories and perhaps the readers will be the ones to comment to WWD about their supposed information stealing.
As far as I'm concerned, WWD has one thing that Fashionista has been seriously lacking lately and that is class.
posted by Faran Krentcil
Oct 31, 2008 1:50PM
Hey guys. Not only am I gross but I also wrote the open letter. xoxo
posted by Fashion Critic
Oct 31, 2008 1:54PM
Number 5. I could not find the post on Salon.com.
Could you post it here please.
Thanks in advance
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 2:45PM
#5 here- The article is about political blogs vs mainstream press, but the issue is the same.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/10/31/abc_news/index.html
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 2:56PM
If you guys want to be taken seriously, you need to start acting like a serious publication and get over the immature and petty bs. This has been happening for like 5 or 6 years now on BOTH ends of the media spectrum. Get over it. I've seen plenty of stuff on here that goes out of its way not to link directly to the blog post from which it was taken. God forbid your readers know about another blog other than this one. Not a zero sum game, girls.
More importantly, who's to say WWD doesn't have the info at the same time you do, or independently of you? They just publish on daily schedule, whereas you can push your info live at any moment. Doesn't mean they have to credit you if they already knew about the story themselves.
For every 20 quality items you pub, a post like this cancels it all out. You're not doing yourself any favors.
posted by cesarcmma
Oct 31, 2008 3:22PM
I'm completely agree...as for the haters there are many examples:
The out of Peter Som from Bill Blass, the boys at Balenciaga, the Stella M campaign, and some more I don't remember.
And what matters is who put the info out there first, it's called competition, and the "live" sense it's a plus for the blogs.
But just a small advice, now that fashionista.com have finally said this, you guys should stop the comments about it, people and your loyal readers would always notice this kind of situations and others, and that would make us love the site even more.
posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 5:10PM
Fashionista is kinda right though..
I know the Dutch L'Officiel once copied Fashionista posts and printed it in their magazine. It was totally the exact same text (and months later).
Bloggers get ripped off and copied very often..
BTW, Fashionista, I don't know if you can say this but how did that end with L'Officiel?
posted by Mahalia
Oct 31, 2008 5:45PM
I'm with Fashionista on this one, especially since WWD should be setting a standard. I know the Interet is a fluid place as far as news is concerned, but all the more reason to shoot for a measure of integrity. I'd also like to think if the bloggers here neglect to credit someone they'll make amends for it.
posted by guest
Nov 01, 2008 12:36AM
but does fashionista always credit, ask permission, or purchase your photos & photo sources? If this is a blog that makes revenue, and you're using other peoples photos and photo credits without permission, aren't you the one that's stealing? ditto: biting that hand that feeds you.
posted by guest
Nov 01, 2008 1:11AM
how dare you? for all of the information you have taken from wwd, it is petty, unprofessional, and disappointing that you could so visibly affront such a respected publication. considering the amount of sources wwd works with on a daily basis, it is completely reasonable to assume the wwd came about this information in the same way you have. and also, a post like this degrades journalism as a whole. where is your evidence? your site would be nothing without wwd.
posted by FashionIntelligentsia
Nov 01, 2008 2:20PM
If Fashionista wants their credit in WWD, other blogs would like to see their credit on this site. Fashionista does not magically come up with all their ideas, and stealing them is even worse.
I can think of quite a few entries on this site which have directly taken from personal blogs. I guess intellectual property doesn't mean much here.
P.S. I also miss Faran's wit and insight. She was so much more affable then the current staff.
posted by guest
Nov 02, 2008 5:59PM
So I've worked at a fashion blog before, and I know that frequently at the end of the day, you "blast" your news stories out to other blogs and publications in an effort to get them to link you.
It's how you increase your site's traffic. Everyone does it.
I think this is what Fashionista means when they say they "email news stories we've broken" to WWD and probably others. Sometimes that news item will show up in the blog or publication that you send it to, accompanied by a link back to your original post or website, so its beneficial for both the bigger site, and for you. Mutual symbiosis, if you will.
If Fashionista's blasting news items to WWD and WWD is using them after the fact but not giving credit, then, well...that's not very cool, because its just understood that you don't do that.
posted by guest
Nov 02, 2008 8:17PM
i cant count the number of times fashionista has "come up" with the same story as my blog (for a major magazine) oh, 45 minutes after i post it. its a double standard and rather unprofessional behavior. and i couldnt agree more with the commenter about the photo rights etc...you guys seem to have rather flexible ideas of what intellectual property is.
posted by guest
Nov 03, 2008 11:17AM
Fashionista has stolen from me and did not, nor will ever give credit. In order to be respected, you must practice what you preach. Give credit to smaller blogs when they give you confidential information, and also give credit to big papers when you lift everything from their 'Fashion Scoops.' Then maybe the favor will be returned.
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posted by guest
Oct 31, 2008 1:08PM
biting the hand that feeds you, much?