Mint editor: NYT deputy Sunday biz editor needs to check facts first

Raju Narisetti, the former Wall Street Journal deputy managing editor who now runs the Mint business newspaper in India, reacted angrily to allegations from New York Times deputy Sunday business editor Patricia Kranz that his paper has been reprinting Times’ articles without permission.

In a post on the Romenesko site, Narisetti wrote, “I wish The New York Times and Ms. Kranz had done some reporting and due diligence before making such serious charges in a public forum. And, at least, bothered to scroll down to the end of this specific story before alleging there was no attribution.

“HT Media Ltd, which owns www.livemint.com is a publicy listed company based in New Delhi, and is one of India’s largest publishers with The Hindustan Times, Hindustan and Mint newspapers. HT Media has a November 2006 syndication agreement with The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp, that predates the launch of HT Media’s business paper Mint and its website www.livemint.com, which gives HT Media all the required rights to use NYT and IHT content in print and online. We have been doing so since the launch of Mint on 1 February 2007.

“Indeed, the NYT Syndication executive responsible for India and based in Germany, recently met with me in New Delhi and then they followed up in an email saying, as agreed to, they are increasing the rates for such syndication effective 1 April! So, clearly, NYT executives know about the existence of a commercial relationship between their company and HT Media.

“As to Ms Kranz’s allegation that the specific story she cites has no attribution, she should scroll down to the end — story runs on three screens — where it specifically gives the copyright to New York Times in the format required.”

Read more here.