http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-978186.mp3
Macomb, IL – The panelists criticize the use of aggregation by organizations such as The Huffington Post.
Aggregation is when a news outlet rewrites another organization's story, providing little if any attribution. A writer for Advertising Age recently took The Huffington Post to task over "over-aggregating" one of his stories.
But an article in Gigaom suggests aggregation has always been done and is a part of the future in media.
The Shop Talk panelists disagree with that way of thinking. They say that once upon a time, aggregation was called plagiarism or stealing. They feel it should not be accepted as the new way things are done.
The panelists point out reporters are needed to do original work - and they should be compensated and credited for their efforts.