[HCDX] On Attribution and Courtesy

["Glenn Hauser" <wghauser@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

It seems a couple of very brief items from me of a few lines each have 
provoked a thread which has involved lots of misconceptions.

In pointing out two items (RFPI's ''new'' frequency, and the Cameroon 
transmitter) which I had published and/or broadcast one or two sesquimonths 
earlier, I was uncharacteristically banging my own drum as a source of 
non-delayed news. This really isn't necessary, as the content of DX 
Listening Digest and World of Radio speak for themselves. I can provide the 
info; however, I cannot force anyone to read or listen to it, or recall it 
later.

I certainly did not claim, and it would be absurd to do so, that I am the 
only source of DX news! How could anyone accuse me of that?

I am certainly not the one trying to restrict information. What I publish 
and broadcast is available to everyone, even those who refuse to cooperate, 
because I cannot prevent them from accessing it. What I can do is draw 
attention to their one-sided lack of common courtesy.

Risto thinks the copyright policy solves the problem, but I am not making an 
issue of copyright. I am merely calling for common courtesy and journalistic 
ethics in attributing sources of information.

This is not because of an overinflated ego. Though I get precious little 
appreciation for it, my insistence upon complete and proper attribution is 
for the benefit of everyone (individual, publication or club) who 
contributes to my output, directly or indirectly. This applies to the 
majority of what I publish, which is not something I personally heard or 
researched. Everyone who makes such a contribution is entitled to be cited 
by name. The most important source is the original one, but the path by 
which it reached me is also important for credibility, no matter how many 
``vias`` it may take. It is also for the benefit or anyone who reads or 
listens to my output, because they are entitled to know where the 
information came from!

Pop Comm and Gerry Dexter in particular take a completely different 
approach. DX news is presented in summary form without the tedium of saying 
where it came from. They may think this takes them off the hook but in fact 
it makes them vulnerable to suspicions or accusations of plagiarism. I, 
however, was merely wondering how an obscure item, which to my knowledge was 
reported only by BBC Monitoring, got into Pop Comm. It may have been via 
DXLD, which Dexter is forbidden to use, or via some other middleman. It was 
not my own item; nor really BBCM`s but the original Cameroonian source BBCM 
quoted. It is certainly not Bob Montgomery`s fault for mentioning it in 
hcdx. This merely brought the matter to our attention.

I know for a fact other DXers and editors have a problem with the way Dexter 
takes material without credit. He would gain so much goodwill and stature by 
starting to credit. Unfortunately, the current PopComm editor has yet to be 
convinced this is necessary, and even accuses me of being unprofessional for 
making an issue of it!

Someone suggested I should keep my info to myself if I am going to 
``restrict`` it. May I point out that I am an active participant in this and 
many other newsgroups, clubs and DX publications. In all other cases there 
is 100 percent give-and-take. When have you ever seen any DX news 
contributed by Dexter (except possibly to the closed NU group)?
With them it`s a complete one-way street (until Pop Comm is published three 
months later).

And I beg your pardon for being serious about what I do, even if it is 
``only a hobby``! Do you really want me to be slipshod and unreliable?

Many thanks to those who have backed my point of view here, and I hope that 
some who have not will consider doing so in light of this further 
explanation.

73, Glenn Hauser

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