WJAR Channel 10 apologized last month for plagiarism. (Credit: TurnTo10.com)

iMediaEthics wrote last month when the NBC affiliate WJAR Channel 10 in Rhode Island apologized for publishing a story that plagiarized from the Providence Journal.

We wrote to WJAR at the time to learn more about the incident. We heard back from WJAR’s news director Christopher Lanni on Nov. 3. Lanni responded to our question about how the plagiarism was detected, writing to iMediaEthics that “An NBC 10 editor noticed the post the following morning and thought it looked unusually print-like.  Upon further investigation, the original newspaper posting was located.”

We also asked what the inquiry into the plagiarism included, who wrote the story, and if there was any disciplinary action against the person who wrote the article. Lanni didn’t answer those questions, instead telling iMediaEthics by e-mail that it was a “personnel matter” and “no comment.”  Further, Lanni told iMediaEthics that the “apology speaks for itself.”