New Series: Recycled News

This is my first entry in an attempt to see if I can document a pattern I've noticed in news coverage.

Here's a story that was first reported on a few weeks ago, but is re-reported today (14 Nov) by AP as "news":

Pet massacres carried out in Puerto Rico

TRUJILLO ALTO, Puerto Rico - Back roads, gorges and garbage dumps on this
tropical island are littered with the decaying carcasses of dogs and cats. An
Associated Press investigation reveals why: possibly thousands of unwanted
animals have been tossed off bridges, buried alive and otherwise inhumanely
disposed of by taxpayer-financed animal control programs.

Hmmm, sounds familiar. Oh, wait, here's it is in this Reuters story:

Hundreds protest Puerto Rican "pet
massacre"
Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:50pm EDT

By John Marino

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - Hundreds of people, angered over an
alleged "pet massacre" in Puerto Rico's northwest town of Barceloneta, joined in
a protest march on Sunday from the island's Supreme Court to its
Capitol.

Many in the crowd of about 500 brought dogs and wore T-shirts reading, "I'm a animal lover" or "I love mutts." Others held signs with slogans like "stop animal abuse" and "justice for the pets of Barceloneta."

The October 8 and October 10 raids, in which authorities seized around 80 pets from their owners at three public housing projects in Barceloneta, stirred widespread anger.

There's no news like old news. Or in this case, recycled news. The stories aren't exactly the same: later in today's story it does mention the October story. But there's a pattern here. I've seen it happen with other stories. They resurface after failing to get much traction. That's not earthshaking but I wonder why it happens at certain times.

There seems to be a pattern. So, I'll try to document it here.