Attribution Failure

Jeers to Inquirer.net for confusing readers on the source of an interview on which they based a front page news story.

Last June 18, the Inquirer.net reported the views of presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo on rumors that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is seeking his congressional seat in the 2010 elections (Mikey may give way to ma: Arroyo son to run for gov vs Panlilio).

The report said that Arroyo aired his views “in an interview yesterday, a day after his arrival from a US visit.” Thus, it would not be surprising if online readers think that an Inquirer.net reporter (or a reporter from its parent company, the Philippine Daily Inquirer) had conducted the interview.

However, it turns out that the interview had originated from GMANews.TV, a news website and a major competitor of Inquirer.net. The GMANews.TV report, which contained the quotes from Arroyo, was posted a day earlier than the Inquirer.net version (“No stopping Arroyo if she wants House seat, son says”).

The Inquirer used the same Arroyo interview in its June 18 banner story (“Mikey may give way to ma: If so, GMA son to run for gov vs ‘Among’ Ed”). Although the paper cited “GMA News” as the source of the interview, readers might have assumed that it was not GMANews.TV but the news department of GMA-7. (GMA-7 is the parent company of GMANews.TV) that did the interview.

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