Worcester newspaper fires reporter
Plagiarized works, T & G editor says
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette fired its New England Patriots beat reporter yesterday after an investigation by the newspaper found that he had plagiarized material from Sports Illustrated writer Peter King last month.
The investigation also found that reporter Ken Powers had used other writers' work in the past without proper attribution. "Ken Powers' column on January 30 did not constitute his own work," T&G editor Harry T. Whitin said in a statement. "He does not dispute that. Further investigation has revealed that this was not an isolated incident and that he has previously used the work of others without proper attribution."
Whitin said the three-day investigation into Powers's reporting had turned up a half-dozen occasions in which he appears to have lifted material from various websites, dating back to September. Whitin declined to specify the websites. He said the investigation would continue.
"He broke our compact with our readers," Whitin said in an interview. "And that was a very serious offense." The Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette are both part of the New England Media Group, which is owned by The
Powers was a 20-year veteran of the T&G and had covered the Patriots for the last five years. He did not respond to an e-mail yesterday seeking comment, and a Worcester phone listing under his name had been disconnected.
Powers told WBZ-TV his firing was unjustified. "I am disappointed that a 20-year spotless record doesn't mean anything," he said. "The termination is a terrible injustice to me."
Concerns about his work surfaced Monday, Whitin said, after two readers contacted the paper, pointing out similarities between his Jan. 30 column and a column by King that ran Jan. 24. That was the first time that questions had been raised about Powers's reporting, Whitin said.
In his Jan. 30 piece, Powers wrote: "Each team was 0-1, and each had fallen to 0-1 in rather humiliating fashion. The Patriots had been shut out in Buffalo, 31-0, just four days after releasing very popular defensive captain Lawyer Milloy because he refused to take a substantial pay cut."
King had written, "Each team was 0-1, and each had fallen to 0-1 in rather humiliating fashion. The Patriots got shut out in Buffalo 31-0, just four days after whacking very popular defensive captain Lawyer Milloy because he wouldn't take a major pay cut."
Whitin said King called him and asked him to "show compassion" and keep Powers on staff. King could not be reached for comment. Whitin added that he apologized to King for the alleged plagiarism.
Stephan Pechdimaldji, a spokesman for SI.com, Sports Illustrated's online affiliate, said the magazine's editors would not comment on the matter while the T&G's investigation is ongoing.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
