Despite seeing an edit to the article that included a link to its content, Big Bend Times insists that it is still not accurate, as the article text does not identify its post as a “Big Bend Times” post, but rather “a local Facebook post.” This matters because the Texas Monthly piece inaccurately claims the comments, as quoted and in the aggregate, represent community sentiment in Marfa.
Big Bend Times, a regional online publication known for its extensive coverage of the Big Bend region, is seeking proper attribution from Texas Monthly, following a recent article authored by Texas Monthly contributor Rob D’Amico.
In a landscape where regional publications sometimes struggle for recognition, Big Bend Times wants to clarify the mischaracterization of its influence, which was portrayed in a recent Texas Monthly article. While Texas Monthly referenced content from ArtNews and Big Bend Sentinel (a publication that also employs D’Amico), they seem to have overlooked the significance of Big Bend Times’ contribution.
The dispute between Big Bend Times and Texas Monthly arose when D’Amico referenced comments from a social media post by Big Bend Times in a Texas Monthly article, failing to acknowledge the context of the post or comments. The comments in question were related to a 150-foot sculpture made of shipping containers that was added to Marfa’s art legacy.
In the Texas Monthly article, D’Amico described the comments as coming from a “local Facebook post” and quoted individuals who had expressed negative opinions about the sculpture. However, Big Bend Times asserts that its Facebook post was linked to an actual news story on its website titled, ‘Sleeping Giant’: A 150-Foot Sculpture Made of Shipping Containers Adds to Marfa’s Art Legacy.
Big Bend Times pointed out that its social media post was not just a “local Facebook post,” as it garnered comments from a statewide audience, not just locals. The publication believes that D’Amico’s characterization of the comments as overwhelmingly negative does not accurately reflect the sentiment of the community of Marfa.
To provide context, Big Bend Times emphasized that it has a significant Facebook following, although not as extensive as Texas Monthly’s. However, its engagement levels on Facebook are impressive. In the past three months, Texas Monthly’s 492K followers interacted with its content 111K times, including 13K shares. In contrast, Big Bend Times, with just under 38K followers, generated a remarkable 540K engagements and nearly 19K shares in the same time period.
After requesting proper attribution and clarification from D’Amico, Big Bend Times received a response that did not address its concerns. D’Amico criticized the publication’s journalistic ethics and referred to its content as “bland” and possibly AI-generated.
In response to the lack of acknowledgment, Big Bend Times contacted Texas Monthly Legal, requesting proper attribution for the comments referenced in D’Amico’s article. Despite seeing an edit to the article that included a link to its post, Big Bend Times insists that it is still not accurate, as the article text does not identify its post as a “Big Bend Times” post, but rather “a local Facebook post.”
The ongoing dispute underscores the importance of proper attribution and context in journalism, as well as the challenges faced by regional publications when their content is referenced by larger outlets. The Times continues to seek accurate acknowledgment for its role in reporting and facilitating the narrative around the Marfa sculpture.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Texas Monthly will address the concerns raised by Big Bend Times and provide the proper attribution they have requested.
when I first saw this, I thought end of western expansionism. I saw containers with foreign entities that became outsourced items. It was a big historical movement that changed so much in American. Compelling! That’s what it said to me.