News	News category

Vancouver sports columnist canned for plagiarism

05.06.2008 23:01 Arts - Source: cbc.ca

David Pratt used phrases almost identical to those in a September 2000 Sports Illustrated article in his Tuesday column in the Vancouver Province.(CBC)

A Vancouver newspaper has fired one of its sports columnists after he admitted that he copied parts of a Sports Illustrated article and used them in his own piece.

The decision came after David Pratt admitted he plagiarized material from a Sept. 12, 2000, article written by Rick Reilly, a basketball commentator, the Province announced Wednesday.

Pratt, a long-time sports journalist, wrote about Canadian Hockey broadcaster Bob Cole in his column on Tuesday.

A reader contacted the newspaper after noticing three separate spots where phrases used in Pratt's piece were almost identical to Reilly's column.

The Province's editor-in-chief, Wayne Moriarty, said the newspaper regards plagiarism as one of the most egregious of sins a journalist can commit.(CBC)

"Within ethical standards of the newspaper, plagiarism, short of fabricating information, would be considered the most egregious of sins or transgressions a journalist can commit," said Wayne Moriarty, editor-in-chief of the Province.

Moriarty said Pratt's column has been cancelled.

Pratt told CBC News on Wednesday that he made a mistake and has apologized repeatedly in the last 24 hours.

He describes the plagiarism as a "minor gaffe," saying he saw the Reilly column and thought "that's a pretty good line."

"It was a Saturday and I wanted to get out of [the office] before noon," he said over the phone.

A journalism ethics professor said he agrees with the Province's decision to fire Pratt.

"We need to send a signal out to everyone, every journalist and the public that we are serious about the standards of journalism." said Stephen Ward of the University of British Columbia School of Journalism.

Pratt will continue to host his show on Team 1040, a sports radio station in Vancouver.

"We at the station are fully supporting David," a spokesperson for the radio station said in an e-mail on Wednesday.

Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: S M L XL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACK

Internal Links

DOCUMENT: David Pratt's June 3 column from the Province (pdf)VIDEO: Kirk Williams reports for CBC-TV (Runs 2:10)

External Links

Rick Reilly's Sports Illustrated piece, titled 'Last Call for the Original Prime Time'

(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)

Arts Headlines

Deal still possible for Hockey Night songScott Moore, the executive director of CBC Sports, is playing down earlier published reports Thursday that fans have heard the Hockey Night in Canada theme song for a final time.Fire, Top Girls lead with 7 nominations for Toronto's Dora awardsThe Canadian Stage Company production of Fire and Soulpepper Theatre's Top Girls lead Toronto productions in nominations for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, announced Thursday.Rapper mistaken for car thief blames stereotyping for errorA Winnipeg rap artist is concerned he may have been the target of racial profiling after police pulled him over, pulled their weapons and accused him of driving a stolen car.Split TV fund to reflect public, private broadcasters, urges CRTCThe Canadian Television Fund, a key source of funding for shows from The Trailer Park Boys to Little Mosque on the Prairie, should be split in two to reflect the different issues faced by public and private broadcasters, according to the CRTC.Gosling to star as AIDS sufferer turned smugglerRyan Gosling, the London, Ont.-born actor who was nominated for an Oscar for playing a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson, has signed up for another gritty role.