Boston Globe Suspends Football Writer For Plagiarism

Boston Globe football writer Ron Borges has been “suspended for two months without pay and forbidden from making TV appearances for plagiarizing” Mike Sando’s column from the February 25th edition of the Tacoma News Tribune, according to Jessica Heslam of the BOSTON HERALD. Borges “swiped numerous paragraphs” about Seahawks WR Darrell Jackson for his notes column this past Sunday. News Tribune Deputy Managing Editor Dale Phelps: “It appears to be more or less verbatim of what we had in our paper here a week ago Sunday.” Phelps said Sando told him that he had submitted his piece on Jackson to “an online ‘notes network,’ a central depository where sports reporters across the country share information.” Boston Globe Editor Martin Baron said that the notes-sharing system “was the source for Borges’ column.” A disclaimer at the end of Borges’ column read, “Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.” Despite the disclaimer, Poynter Institute ethics group leader Kelly McBride “called Borges’ column plagiarism” (BOSTON HERALD, 3/6).

FROM THE GLOBE: Boston Globe Sports Editor Joe Sullivan said that reporters “are expected to use the shared notes for background material and not to lift the language directly from one another.” Borges declined to comment, but his union rep said in a statement, “The Boston Newspaper Guild stands behind Ron and the high-quality work he has done for the Globe over the years. We will work on his behalf to see that justice is served” (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/6). The plagiarism was first reported by the blog Cold Hard Football Facts. Borges’ column in question no longer appears on the newspaper’s Web site (THE DAILY).