Tamil Newspaper Dinathanthi allows article with copied content from Aalayam Kanden to be published!

This morning, I started reading the newspaper as usual. When I started glancing into the Aanmeegam Supplement, I was shocked to find that the article on Dhatriswarar Temple,Sithukadu had content and photographs copied verbatim from the post on the temple on Aalayam Kanden.

So much so, that even the watermark in the photograph had not been removed by this great Author, Mr. P.Thirugnanasambandar, from Thiruvallur and the newspaper, that calls itself No.1 as far as subscription is concerned, has not done any due diligence,or quality checks before accepting the article for publication.

Enraged, I tried to find a contact number or email address where I could send my webpage as well as the copied photographs from it.

After great difficulty, I was able to get a phone number. When I called on it, a gentleman called Senthil came on line saying he was working on the Aanmeegam supplement. When I shared my concern with him, I was told that everyone was on leave and that I should call back again tomorrow.

Aalayam Kanden totally condemns the unprofessional act of Thirugnanasambandar (why does a man who resorts to such cheap acts have such a saint's name) and Dinathanthi which has allowed the publishing of the article which has clear watermarked pictures from Aalayamkanden.

Bloggers like us, spend a great deal of time,money and effort to create original content in order to promote awareness about lesser known temples, and it is cheapsters like these who really dampen our spirits and intent.

I once had a medical doctor, lifting content and pictures verbatim from my blog site, and on confronting him, he removed the unauthorized content and gave a link to my page. I shudder to think, if this is his idea of ethics, what would happen to his patients?

My humble request to all plaguirists, current and future, if you cannot create original content, fine, no sweat, please do not copy content verbatim without acknowledging the creator. Atleast, have the courtesy to acknowledge the creator.

My Article on Sithukadu Dhatriswara Temple on Aalayam Kanden:

http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in/2011/11/sithukadu-holy-land-of-siddhars.html

The article that was carried in Dhinathanthi today:

You can see that the picture of Garudakodi Sitthar clearly shows the aalayamkanden watermark right in the middle. Similarly, the photograph to the right is also copied from the blog and the watermark removed.

I truly hope the media in India and the so called No.1 newspapers will pay more attention to quality checks so that cheapsters like Thirugnanasambandar from Thiruvallur do not get an opportunity to gain cheap publicity from other people's content.