| Summary: | Assignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 2003 various incidents of plagiarism in the South African media were
reported. The South African copyright law does not define plagiarism, only copyright
infringement. The issue of plagiarism is a complex one, due to the conflicting views
within professional, intellectual, social, moral and legal contexts.
The advent of the Internet era saw the eradication of the boundaries guarding
copyright ownership. Also, the Internet offers infinite access to information which makes it tempting for any journalist to “borrow” quotes, facts, stories and articles
freely and under the auspices of a post-modernist approach to knowledge and
copyright ownership.
Most media companies have ethical codes which cover plagiarism, but there
is no working document that can empower media managers and journalists to
combat the problem effectively. This document should define the boundary between
negligence and plagiarism and offer suggestions on how to approach cases of
plagiarism.
This study investigates different theories on plagiarism, specifically with
regard to the cases of Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Cynthia Vongai and Willem Pretorius. It
will also study the ethical codes of media companies and will try to formulate a
document which can address the problem of plagiarism. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Talle voorvalle van plagiaat in die Suid-Afrikaanse drukmedia het sedert 2003
plaasgevind. Die Suid-Afrikaanse wet omskryf nie plagiaat nie, slegs
outeursregskending en met die talle teenstrydige opvattings oor plagiaat binne
professionele, intellektuele, sosiale, morele en regskringe, word plagiaat moeilik
gedefinieer.
Met die toeganklikheid van inligting danksy die koms van onder meer die
Internet, het die grense van eienaarskap van geskrewe werke begin vervaag. Veral
die Internet bied ’n magdom inligting aan. Dit word al hoe makliker vir joernaliste om
met gemak aanhalings, feite, stories en artikels te “leen” sonder die nodige
erkenning.
Die meeste media-instellings beskik oor etiese kodes wat plagiaat dek, maar
daar is nie werksdokumente wat bestuurders en joernaliste kan bemagtig om
plagiaat te bekamp nie. Die werksdokument of handleiding behoort die grense
tussen nalatigheid en plagiaat te definieer, en om voorstelle te bied oor hoe gevalle
van plagiaat hanteer kan word nie.
Hierdie studie ondersoek verskillende teorieë oor plagiaat, bespreek die
plagiaatgevalle van Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Cynthia Vongai en Willem Pretorius,
bestudeer die etiese kodes van media-instellings en poog om ’n werksdokument
saam te stel wat plagiaat kan bekamp.
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