Media star under scrutiny over Radio NZ broadcasts

Experts have called the similarity between three McCarthy essays and articles from overseas newspapers "compelling" and "disconcerting".

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Radio New Zealand is reviewing broadcasts by presenter and commentator Noelle McCarthy, after concerns were raised about alleged unattributed use of other journalists' work.

Media experts have called the similarity between three McCarthy essays and articles from overseas newspapers "compelling" and "disconcerting".

The similarities were discovered by the Sunday Star-Times, when it Googled transcripts of the Irish broadcaster's work, after rumours began circulating last week.

When one essay about octopuses and left-handers was run through a programme designed to catch academic cheats, it scored 26 percent on an "overall similarity index". Scores over 20 percent are considered a cause for concern.

The Turnitin Originality Report revealed tracts of the McCarthy essay came directly from Wikipedia. Further online searches showed her opening was almost identical to that from an article carried a day earlier in the UK's Independent newspaper.

Two other essays, one about Halloween and the resurgence of horror, and another about Wimbledon tennis fashion, also appear to draw heavily on articles from The Guardian and The Observer.

McCarthy, 28, is scheduled to host National Radio's Summer Noelle later this year, and regularly fills in as a presenter on Afternoons. The essays are broadcast on the latter. For the most part, they feature attributed material, sourced from the likes of the New Yorker and the Atlantic Monthly.

John Howson, Radio New Zealand networks manager, confirmed rumours had surfaced about 10 days ago, but told the Star-Times, "this is the first I've seen of this, the first time it has been brought to my attention with any detail. Of course we'll look at it very carefully and review it very carefully."

Howson said the company's editorial policy would be the "driving force in making any decisions on this". The policy states employees should endeavour to attribute all opinion, and that plagiarism, "defined as the use of another person's ideas, work, words, etc as one's own", was not tolerated.

Howson said he would not comment directly on the McCarthy material supplied by the Star-Times. "I really need to go listen to the actual scripts... I would normally expect attribution, I need to double-check."

One McCarthy essay references The Observer film critic Philip French, but it does not credit other material to journalist Vanessa Thorpe, who wrote the original article.

In the essays reviewed by the Star-Times, phrases and some whole sentences are replicated. For example, a movie is described as "feverishly awaited" by McCarthy and The Observer, while both McCarthy and The Guardian note a recent Givenchy haute couture collection was inspired by Swan Lake, and has "sparked a rash of ballet theming on the high street".

McCarthy, contacted yesterday, said, "I have absolutely no comment thank you."

Alan Samson, Massey University Journalism school lecturer, said of the work he was shown: "There would appear to be some compelling similarities."

"This may not breach copyright law but the issue here is the ethical one. Radio New Zealand's own editorial policy says plagiarism will not be tolerated. The policy also comes up with the simple solution: as long as a reporter honestly attributes authorship, they can take what they like."

Canterbury University journalism lecturer Jim Tully said any student essay that scored higher than 20 percent on the Turnitin programme would be checked for copying and appropriate attribution.

Earl Gray, copyright law expert with Simpson Grierson, said there were enough similarities for there to be a legitimate copyright question.

Cork City-born McCarthy has a fixed-term contract with Radio New Zealand and is next scheduled to appear on air on Tuesday. Her first New Zealand job was waitressing at a Ponsonby restaurant, Prego. In 2004, she became news and editorial director for Auckland student radio station bFM and has since appeared in various broadcast roles on Newstalk ZB, RNZ (where she was once tipped to host the Nine to Noon spot eventually won by Kathryn Ryan), Prime Television, TVNZ and TV3. She writes a column for the Weekend Herald and recently blogged about Fashion Week.

The text in question


Noelle’s Essay, RNZ, October 22:
If you’re buying for trick or treaters next week you might want to buy up large because this year’s Halloween could be scarier than any other and last for longer. The entertainment industry all over the world is gearing up to provide cinema audiences with more than their usual quota of homicidal ghouls and disturbed spirits. In fact there's an onslaught of terror and psychological trauma in store, both at the cinema and in bookshops . . . But the suave undead aren't having it all their own way. Werewolves are getting their howl in as well . . .

Vanessa Thorpe, The Observer, October 19:
This Halloween will be scarier than other years – and will last much longer. The entertainment industry in Britain, in America and across Europe is cranked up to provide more than the usual quota of homicidal ghouls and disturbed spirits. In fact, an onslaught of terror and psychological trauma is in store both at the cinema and in the bookshop . . . Vampires will not be having it all their own way, though. Werewolves are to have their shout, or howl, too . . .

Noelle’s Essay, RNZ, June 26
There’s Serena Williams with her unseasonable white trench coat that had commentator John McEnroe drawling, well, what else would he drawl, "You cannot be serious", but of course she was serious...

Jess Cartner-Morley, The Guardian, June 25
Serena's on-trend mini-trench was all the more fashionable for being unseasonable... had John McEnroe been in the commentary box yesterday when she strolled on court to warm up in a trench coat, he would have known just what to drawl: "Serena, you cannot be serious.'' But serious is exactly what she is . . .

Noelle’s Essay, RNZ, July 8
Twenty-five octopuses began twiddling Rubik’s cube yesterday all in the name of scientific research. Marine biologists concede they have very little hope of the eight-limbed molluscs actually solving the fiendish plastic puzzle, instead the project at Sea Life Centres around the UK and Europe are examining octopus intelligence. They’re trying to discover if they have a favourite tentacle for picking things up. Much in the way we favour our left or our right hands for performing activity.

Lawrence Conway, The Independent, July 7
Twenty-five octopuses will today begin twiddling a Rubik’s Cube in the name of scientific research. Marine biologists concede they have little hope of the eight-limbed sea molluscs solving the fiendish plastic puzzle. Instead, the month-long project at 23 Sea Life Centres across Britain and Europe will examine octopus intelligence in an attempt to discover if they have a favourite tentacle for picking things up – much as humans are right or left-handed.

NOELLE McCARTHY
Age 28, born Cork City, Ireland
2004: News and editorial director at bFM, catches Don Brash on tape admitting he knew about an Exclusive Brethren campaign against the government.
2005: First appearance in Sunday Star-Times' About Town social pages. Appears on Prime TV's Out of the Question.
2006: Appears on TV3's Sugar Shack (canned after seven episodes) and TVNZ's Front Seat. Tipped for National Radio's Nine to Noon presenter job.
2007: Begins graveyard shift at Newstalk ZB. Quits in June, tells NZ Herald her health was suffering. First weekly column appears in Auckland's Weekend Herald. Hosts Summer Noelle, National Radio.
2008: Fills in for Jim Mora on National Radio's Afternoons. Slated by reviewers for TVNZ election night commentary Herald writer Frances Grant: "McCarthy's blather sounded like nothing more than a quick Google cut-and-paste."

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