Over at SCVtalk.com, Jeff Wilson has posted an email sent out by Josh Premako, The Signal’s Opinion Editor, to local unpaid columnists informing them of the suspension of local opinion columns in the wake of the papers plagiarism scandal. In what appears to be a knee-jerk reaction, The Signal will not print local opinion columnists until at least January 6, 2010, while its editorial board figures out next steps.

In the midst of a sea change occurring in the old-line newspapers medium this is the latest black-eye for The Signal which has been struggling to rebuild subscribers.

Wilson writes a lucid piece that makes several good observations including the following:    

“Note that these two acts of plagiarism have occurred under Ian Lamont’s watch. The same Ian Lamont who denigrated bloggers as irresponsible in the past, saying “your local bloggers cannot be expected to provide” accurate and valued content.

Isn’t it ironic that it was two local blogs that pointed out both cases of plagiarism!”

You can read his entire piece here: Signal suspends all local columns after Lutness admits to plagiarism