Our scoop would explode all over the internet on other movie sites throughout the afternoon. Our story even made the coveted front page of a popular social news website.
Later that night at Midnight (EDT), Variety posted the story on their site which you can read here. Guess what? We weren’t mentioned. We emailed Tatiana Siegel and Michael Fleming (Variety) and kindly requested that their story recognize our contribution and properly credit us. We were ignored.
An hour later at 1A.M., The Hollywood Reporter ran their story without crediting us over here. We were heartbroken.
Later that morning on May 15, 2008, we again emailed Ms. Siegel and Mr. Fleming at Variety and once again we we’re ignored. At least Borys Kit from The Hollywood Reporter was kind enough to email us back, apologize, and explain the situation.
That apology is bittersweet though because Borys Kit and Variety did it to us again today with the news of Jake Gyllenhaal being cast as the lead in Prince of Perisa which we first broke HERE ABOUT A MONTH AND HALF AGO ON APRIL 8TH. This not only happens to us but to all movie websites and bloggers that break exclusive news.
Both Variety and Hollywood Reporter don’t properly credit movie websites when they are due at least a mention for breaking a story!
It’s a common practice which consistently not only frustrates us, but our online peers.
You want evidence?
I contacted BeBe Lerner to ask for an explanation and it went to voicemail. She wrote me back an email. Read below. Pay attention to the part that says and I quote –
“We appreciate you changing the story and all of the sites, including Variety and THR, Cinematical, etc. Picked up on your reporters' reporting.” “Thank you for changing the post so swiftly. I already had a conversation with Mike Fleming. It's caused a stir.”
bebelerner2 - Get more documents
This time, we contacted an editor, Anne Thompson, about the situation because she did after all write an article in Variety on how blogs are reshaping film coverage which you can read HERE. We thought we had a sympathizer in Anne Thompson. We were wrong. Again, we were ignored. You know what the irony of Anne Thompson’s article is? WE WE’RE THE ONES WHO BROKE THE NEWS OF SHIA LaBEOUF BEING CAST IN INDIANA JONES! Not Variety!
The point is I and a lot of other movie websites have absolutely had it. For the first time, an email dialogue took place this past weekend between webmasters of the top movie websites and blogs addressing the issue. You can say a commission was formed. Frosty from Collider put in his two cents on the issue over HERE. Jeffery Wells even chimed in over HERE.
Now it’s our turn.
May 20th is a special day in the Latino community because May 20th is when Cuba declared it’s independence from Spain back in 1902. Today, we here at Latinoreview coin May 20th, 2008 as the day we declare our independence from linking to trades. Other movie websites are doing the same thing. We now ask you the audience to join us in EL GRITO DE LOS MOVIE GEEK BLOGGERS (Shout of the movie geek bloggers)!
Instead of supporting Variety and The Hollywood Reporter online, we ask you to support your preferred movie website or blog who works harder in bringing you the news and content, which we all make universal for all to enjoy.
I don’t know what kind of Buccaneer ship Peter Bart is running over at Variety, but a bunch of us are not going to stand for it anymore. What we do isn’t easy. We have to bust our tail for our scoops and all we ask is for some common courtesy. I speak not only for myself and my website but for the community as a whole in which we think we have been consistent enough in blowing the lid off some big stories to at least get a mention. Let’s face it, who broke the casting the Joker and Harvey Dent in the upcoming THE DARK KNIGHT?
Here’s a hint, it wasn’t Variety or The Hollywood Reporter.
Folks, do you know that Aint It Cool News in the last 12 years has been mentioned a grand total of 7 times? Outrage.
Call us what you like Mr. Bart. Amateur Fanboy, Blogger, niche pub (my favorite), whatever.
We are here to stay and are changing the landscape in how people get their news. Don’t think so? Read these articles HERE, HERE, and HERE.
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4 comments:
Uh, sorry dude, there is no way you work harder than trade journalists.
They have to deal with all the layers, players, and purveyors of Hollywood shit to publish anything. They often have to sit on a story for months before it is published.
That's the difference they have stories, which are checked. You have rumors, which are not.
(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE)
The day you start providing sources, direct quotes, and retractions when you are (often) wrong is the day you can claim any journalistic superiority.
Anyone who disobeys rules or standards can't really compare themselves, anyway.
Just because I have written 12 screenplays, it doesn't make me a better writer than someone who has actually had one produced.
Even in the age of Blogs, there's still a reason why some people are professionals and others remain amateurs (and cry-babies).
And one last thing...
At least those writers have to put their real name and real credentials behind everything they publish. You hide behind a pseudonym.
Basically, you lack courage and honesty. How can anyone believe a word you write? Some Martyr, you are.
Hey, I knew Heath Ledger was going to be Joker before you (as did other blogs, which you did not credit).
Dante, I dont really understand what upsets u so much. The original post is cited so I dont see any problem with not crediting other people's thoughts.
By the way who gives you a right of accusing me of lacking courage and honesty? You have no idea who I am and you are not talking very nice of me at my blog.
Mate, if you are so bothered with my posts you do not have to read them. There is plenty of information on the net you might find useful for yourself besides this blog.
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