Continuing on my theme of accuracy about news reporting, particularly Apple and the wrongs of single-sourcing: As a rule I don’t quote FOSS Patents. There simply is too much pro-Apple bias in the analysis. I find little neutrality, yet FOSS Patents is often used as the only source on Apple legal cases by the majority of the US news media.
Even if I thought Florian Mueller’s posts were fair, I wouldn’t quote him, simply because he is so overused and so often as only so-called expert by so many bloggers, reporters, and other writers.
The problem is three-fold then. FOSS Patents lacking credibility with me, Mueller’s overuse as expert, and his overuse as only source.
Google “foss patents” in news. I did. Gawk at how many news stories are based soley on Mueller posts. He’s an easy source.
Last September I complained:
I’ve been looking over stories about Verizon requesting a California judge reject Apple’s request to bar numerous Galaxy-branded smartphones or tablets from selling in the United States. I have yet to find one story that cites the original source—Verizon’s filing. They all instead refer to a FOSS Patents blog post. According to the court calendar, a motion hearing is scheduled for October 13 (I looked). FOSS Patents is not credible-enough source, because its story on this topic, as with others, is generally one person’s perspective.
Journalists need to get back to basics and source stories from credible sources, not someone else reporting X, Y, or Z. Bloggers and other writers should join them.
Photo Credit: Anne Wilcox