Indy sub-editor copies "wanky balls" from Wikipedia

Somewhere in West London this morning, a sub editor has been relegated to photocopying duty. In a great spot for Kath Arney on the You Do Too Much blog, an Independent hack has been caught out copying text directly from Wikipedia. The cosy friendship between hard-pressed journalists and the online encyclopedia usually goes unremarked – unless they accidentally copy toilet humour and/or mild swearing verbatim:

Although the Wikipedia article has now been corrected, revision histories clearly show a mischievous contributor changing the name of of a Herefordshire music festival to, erm, “Wanky Balls”. As Bitter Wallet puts it:

It won’t surprise you that Big Chill was never called Wanky Balls, Sweaty Nads, Greasy Schlong or anything else for that matter

That’s one way to make an impression your new proprietor.

17 Trackbacks

  1. By Political Scrapbook on August 10, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat)

  2. By Dan Fox on August 10, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    RT @psbook: New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat)

  3. By Lori Estep on August 10, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Independent sub-editor copies "wanky balls" from Wikipedia | Political Scrapbook: http://bit.ly/aAATeh via @addthis

  4. By Gareth on August 10, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    Ha! RT@psbook New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat)

  5. By David Skelton on August 10, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    RT @psbook: New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat)

  6. By jamescheyne on August 10, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    RT @psbook Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat) BRILLIANT #news #media

  7. By Darren on August 10, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    RT @jamescheyne: RT @psbook Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat) BRIL …

  8. By Michelle on August 10, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    RT @psbook Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc < Love this story

  9. By Brian M on August 10, 2010 at 4:48 pm

    SERIOUSLY THOUGH, did it actually used to be called the Wanky Balls Festival? http://tinyurl.com/2wawxth

  10. By peter lawrence on August 10, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    The festival I started has now been renamed Wanky Balls. thanks to Independent. Just as well I'm no longer involved! http://ow.ly/2nDdB

  11. By pete lawrence on August 10, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    The festival I started has now been renamed Wanky Balls. thanks to Independent. Just as well I'm no longer involved! http://ow.ly/2nDmI

  12. By Marq Riley on August 10, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    RT @petelawrence_: The festival I started has now been renamed Wanky Balls. thanks to Independent. Just as well I'm no longer involved! http://ow.ly/2nDmI

  13. By teaandcakerec on August 10, 2010 at 5:57 pm

    RT @chilledbynature: The festival I started has now been renamed Wanky Balls. thanks to Independent. Just as well I'm no longer involved! http://ow.ly/2nDdB

  14. By Debby Thompson on August 10, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    RT @psbook: New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" from Wikipedia http://is.gd/ebroc (h/t @harpistkat)

  15. By sunny hundal on August 10, 2010 at 11:21 pm

    @fionacullinan my source was @mePadraigReidy – but if you look at the piece closely, you can see the AFP attribution: http://bit.ly/dtM2Sn

  16. By dylan white on August 16, 2010 at 11:12 am

    RT @petelawrence_: The festival I started has now been renamed Wanky Balls. thanks to Independent. Just as well I'm no longer involved! http://ow.ly/2nDmI

  17. By Wanky balls | Kidoscomputer on April 3, 2012 at 11:27 pm

    [...] Independent sub-editor copies "wanky balls" from Wikipedia …Aug 10, 2010 … It won’t surprise you that Big Chill was never called Wanky Balls, Sweaty … New post –> Independent sub-editor caught copying "wanky balls" … [...]

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