More than six weeks have passed since the Springfield News-Leader surprised veteran columnist Sarah Overstreet by informing her she was one of those who had been sacrificed at the shareholders' altar.
Her final column ran Dec. 4; she has long since vacated the premises, but her smiling face can still be seen on the News-Leader's "Voices" page, providing a link to her past columns.
"Look back at some of Sarah's recent work in our special archive of her columns," are the words accompanying her photo. It makes it sound as if she is still on staff, continuing to offer her take on the issues that affect her readers.
On one hand, it is nice to know that an online record of her columns is still available for those who followed her work over the years, or for newcomers to happen upon them.
That being said, it's still cold and heartless for the News-Leader to benefit from Ms. Overstreet's smiling photo and past work. Do the people in charge at the News-Leader have no shame?
Randy,
ReplyDeleteIf I pay you to write for my paper, I own the material. Not just while you work there, but forever. The NL has paid for her work and can run it into the 22nd century, if it chooses.
You are correct, however, that has nothing whatsoever to do with my post. There is a difference between what is legal and what is moral and ethical. To fire somebody then to continue promoting and using that person's work as if the person is still working for the newspaper is plain and simply wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn your classroom, do you have the kids read from essays or stories written by authors that were once working for a paper, magazine or publisher? How did you find these works?
ReplyDeleteSeveral weeks ago you published a link to the NL regarding the political history of Kit Bond. Many of the writers and photographers of these pieces are no longer working for the NL. You didn't have a problem promoting that piece.
Shall the TV networks pull all re-runs or not promote them, even though they canceled or "fired" the writers, actors or producers of the show?
Is this moral or ethical? I belive it is.
I have no problem with her columns being available through a search of the site or through outside search engines. Again, my problem is with the News-Leader continuing to promote itself through her image and her work.
ReplyDeleteIf only certain a certain had written something worth continuing once they left a newspaper...Ms Overstreet should be proud she produced material worthy of being carried beyond her years in the office....
ReplyDeleteHmmm....must be a lot of this going around. I heard via the grapevine that the Neosho Daily's parent company was running that "Hindsight" column in many Gatehouse papers but since it's my understanding that the author of that column isn't paid and isn't a Daily News employee, it becomes a different matter altogether.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that papers are misuing their authority; bad move in times when many newspapers are on their way out.
If the Daily quits running Hindsight, then I'll quit the Daily. It's the only decent thing to look forward to every week.
Do the people in charge at the News-Leader have no shame?
ReplyDeleteEasy answer. No. The have no shame.