> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://onemanandhisblog.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Nationals Fail at Attribution & Linking
- URL: https://onemanandhisblog.com/2008/09/nationals_fail_at_attribution/
- Published: 2008-09-08T18:24:37.000Z
- Updated: 2015-04-08T14:18:00.000Z
- Author: Adam Tinworth
- Tags: attribution, Journalism, linking, national newspapers

Why are national media outlets so awful at giving credit?

The (e)Grommet documents a case of the [BBC crediting the hosting service, and not the creator](http://egrommet.net/2008/09/08/gallagher-smackdown-on-stage/?ref=onemanandhisblog.com). And the *Daily Mirror* has [republished something provided to them by a *Travel Weekly* journalist](http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/blogs/2008/09/credit-where-it-is-due.html?ref=onemanandhisblog.com) as an “exclusive”, without a hint of attribution.

It seems to be one of the major fault lines between traditional media outlets and online publishing – and one that’s only going to get worse.

As [Kevin](http://strange.corante.com/2008/09/04/journalism-and-fact-checking-follow-the-links?ref=onemanandhisblog.com) puts it:

> \*As an internet reader, I’m increasingly suspicious of journalists who  
> don’t link. Yes, if they quote an official that gives me a sense of the  
> source. But why not link to original source material? It also allows me  
> to dig more deeply into the story if I want without having to turn to  
> Google.  
> \*

If many national journalists can’t even handle attributing sources properly, how the hell are they going to get their heads around linking? The answer, based on the current evidence, is that they won’t.  
  
Is there anyone in the traditional media who is actually good at this?