I see your point, but we need some kind of headline that a journalist would find somehow newsworthy: it has to be "someone does something". In that context, I think Bobby's suggested opening makes sense.
I see there have also been some improvements to the draft text that I proposed online: I agree completely with your and Douglas's changes; I've done a little copy-editing as well. On 17 December 2017 at 08:23, Peter Southwood <[email protected]> wrote: > We condemn all vandalism don’t we? There is nothing special about the > recent stuff. All caps is maybe a bit overdoing it too. > > -----Original Message----- > From: WikimediaZA [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Bobby Shabangu > Sent: 17 December 2017 06:34 > To: WikimediaZA List > Subject: Re: [Wikimedia ZA] Wikipedia vandalism in the news > > Hi guys, > > Apologies for the delayed response, I don't have full access to internet > these festives, and hey David thanks for putting the draft response > together it covers all the points brought up by Ian. > > I was thinking we can use the standard Wikimedia press release template > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_press_release_agencies?wprov=sfla1 > > But it definitely doesn't fit in this case. > > I'm however adding the following lines on top of what David has already > written just to be clear where we stand as a chapter and that we exist. And > if anyone doesn't object to my addition before 10pm today then I'll send > this to the editors of news24, politics web and perhaps the Daily Maverick > for Monday publishing. > > === > > Press release: > > WIKIMEDIA SOUTH AFRICA CONDEMNS THE RECENT VANDALISM THAT HAS BEEN TAKING > PLACE ON THE ONLINE ENCYCLOPAEDIA WIKIPEDIA. > > 17 December 2017 > > Johannesburg - WikimediaZA, the South African chapter affiliated to the > Wikimedia Foundation has noted media reports about the vandalism of some > Wikipedia articles about South African politicians and business people that > has been taking place on the online encyclopeadia recently. > > Wikimedia South Africa would like to condemn these acts of vandalism, and > point out that Wikipedia....David's draft. > > *End.* > *Boiler plate* > > > > > > > > > On 15 Dec 2017 15:13, "Douglas Scott" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hello everyone, > > > > I also saw the same articles about Jooste and Niehause and also > > thought about drafting a letter to the press mentioning the exact > > three things Ian mentioned. Namely: "explain how Wikipedia works, > > Wikimedia ZA, Wikipedia exists in languages besides English" as well > > as the need for more South Africans to edit Wikipedia to ensure that > > vandalism like this is detected and corrected sooner. > > > > Thank you David for starting a draft response. I am looking at it now. > > > > I am very busy these past few days and for the next few days so I will > > not be able to send through the finished response to the media. Ian > > could you or one of the other directors please send through the media > > response today or tomorrow? I think it would be good to act on this > > ASAP as the news cycle changes quickly. > > > > Regards, > > > > Douglas. > > > > On 14 December 2017 at 20:49, Helen Riding <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > You might want to include the recent Markus Jooste vandalism. > > > > > > https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/business/2017-12- > > > 08-what-wikipedia-is-saying-about-markus-jooste-its-not-pretty/ > > > > > > On 14 Dec 2017 8:46 PM, "David Richfield" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Thanks for this alert! > > > > > > > > I've started a draft response at > > > > http://wikimedia.org.za/wiki/Response_to_Niehaus_vandalism . > > > > Everyone, please do the wiki thing and improve it as you see fit. > > > > Anyone who needs a login on the Wikimedia ZA wiki, let me know. > > > > > > > > Bobby, in which forum do you think we should respond? > > > > > > > > On 14 December 2017 at 16:44, Ian Gilfillan < > > [email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > Hi > > > > > This article is one of the many locally that misunderstands how > > > Wikipedia > > > > > works: > > > > > http://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/carl-niehaus- > > called-an- > > > > embarrassment-to-the-human- > > > > > > > > > > It would be good as WikimediaZA to respond to these kind of things. > > > > > > > > > > Unfortunately I'm off very shortly and will have no internet > > > > > access > > for > > > > > about a week, but perhaps we can work on a template and rapid > > > > response/press > > > > > release for these kind of situations in future. Ideally it > > > > > should > > > > > - explain how Wikipedia works > > > > > - mention Wikimedia ZA > > > > > - mention that Wikipedia exists in languages besides English > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > WikimediaZA mailing list > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > > > > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > > > > wikimedia.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > David Richfield > > > > Nabburgerstraße 19, 81737 München > > > > +49 176 72663368 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > WikimediaZA mailing list > > > > [email protected] > > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > > > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > > > > wikimedia.org > > > _______________________________________________ > > > WikimediaZA mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > > > wikimedia.org > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Douglas Ian Scott > > 司道格 > > Skype: douglas0scott > > South African mobile number: +27 (0)79 515 8727 > > _______________________________________________ > > WikimediaZA mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > > wikimedia.org > _______________________________________________ > WikimediaZA mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > wikimedia.org > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > http://www.avg.com > > > _______________________________________________ > WikimediaZA mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > To unsubscribe, send an email to WikimediaZA-unsubscribe@lists. > wikimedia.org > -- David Richfield Nabburgerstraße 19, 81737 München +49 176 72663368 _______________________________________________ WikimediaZA mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected]
