tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post7203045267419256776..comments2023-08-19T06:19:28.990-04:00Comments on the nytpicker: "I Am Not A Reporter!" NYT's David Pogue Declares, Responding Angrily To Recent Criticism. "Since When Have I Ever Billed Myself As A Journalist?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-31383713854417240092009-11-14T10:37:58.163-05:002009-11-14T10:37:58.163-05:00Are you going to let David Pogue comment on your p...Are you going to let David Pogue comment on your post?Heathernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-32933714988642746372009-11-10T12:04:21.410-05:002009-11-10T12:04:21.410-05:00It's all about GREED.
The reason why a journa...It's all about GREED.<br /><br />The reason why a journalist can't stay impartial and rather engage in two-way relationships with companies they are suppose to be analyzing, commenting and criticizing on.<br /><br />High scores = Early product reviews = more readers = more $$$ <br /><br />and/or<br /><br />High scores = Product advertisements = more $$$<br /><br />Choices for unbiased tech reviews are getting slimer everyday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-61609323581843995442009-10-21T18:42:36.331-04:002009-10-21T18:42:36.331-04:00Many people don't realize that Pogue is a part...Many people don't realize that Pogue is a part-time freelancer for the New York Times. It's a sideline, not his day job. If the Times expects its writers to turn down other work, then they need to hire fulltimers and pay them what they're worth. For someone like Pogue that's likely hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.Elliotte Rusty Haroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02911747558012338676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-26634254679645913502009-10-11T11:34:31.355-04:002009-10-11T11:34:31.355-04:00He's "not a journalist" and he could...He's "not a journalist" and he couldn't ask thorough, probing questions because it's "not his job"? Those sound like the lame and pathetic excuses an out-of-college new hire would offer for inept work. If he was truly dedicated to NYT's audience, he would hold himself to journalistic standards and ask the important questions(even if they weren't for his precious column).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-33222127487477590282009-10-01T23:53:40.065-04:002009-10-01T23:53:40.065-04:00"pogue is still a valuable writer for the Tim..."pogue is still a valuable writer for the Times. if he left the Times i'm very sure that any other news organization would try their hardest to snatch him up."<br /><br />That's true, but only because he's written for the Times. There are 10,000 bloggers who could step in tomorrow and do what Pogue does. He's just lucky enough to have the job.<br /><br />Calling Leo "dude" over and over? Lame. <br /><br />I only read Pogue to see what's being fed to the masses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-74087758073855714752009-09-28T17:27:35.417-04:002009-09-28T17:27:35.417-04:00bestbiged hit it right on the numbers: Pogue is t...bestbiged hit it right on the numbers: Pogue is the best at what he does. He's insightful, entertaining, and no one (NO ONE) can take something technical and break it down to understandable bits as well as he does. I have never bought a product recommended by him that did not live up to his review....and I have bought several. I bought his "the missing digital camera manual" (perhaps a paraphrase, and it is extremely useful. I like Ed Baig, too. Rock on, David Pogue!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816311290189018028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-50177438627792083372009-09-24T09:50:15.992-04:002009-09-24T09:50:15.992-04:00Pogue, you are actually paying Mossberg and Baig a...Pogue, you are actually paying Mossberg and Baig a compliment by pointing out they didn't write a story for their Steve Jobs interviews. One could interpret their decision not to write a story as there was nothing from the interview honest enough or worthy of their time or credibility?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-14332064257925824192009-09-23T08:55:42.063-04:002009-09-23T08:55:42.063-04:00He's right, he's not a journalist. He'...He's right, he's not a journalist. He's a shill.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-72166737432051017052009-09-23T04:08:58.615-04:002009-09-23T04:08:58.615-04:00Conflict of interest is a term that is beginning t...Conflict of interest is a term that is beginning to wear thin on me. It used to be applied more judiciously, in situations involving strongly suspected deception or fraud. In criminal cases, if a crime is suspected, prosecutors investigate motive. These days, whether or not there is suspicion of a crime, the mere appearance of a theoretical conflict of interest (ie theoretical motive) is used to paint someone as a self-interested and therefore lying scumbag.<br /><br />Newspapers (and podcasters) have a conflict of interest. They sell newspapers (or sponsorships) and so are biased towards writing stories that sell. So they're all liars and scumbags and we shouldn't listen to them.<br /><br />Doctors who research disease have a conflict of interest. They stand to reap academic and possibly financial rewards if they find a cure for little Timmy's cancer. So they're all liars and cheats and we shouldn't listen to them.<br /><br />Our insinuations and accusations should not be based on the appearance of conflict of interest, but on the track records of the individuals involved. This applies to journalists, doctors, and yes, even businesspeople and politicians.sixmemoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527296015390633587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-17941655974637495422009-09-23T04:04:43.808-04:002009-09-23T04:04:43.808-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.sixmemoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527296015390633587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-41401282998758301492009-09-23T02:42:57.569-04:002009-09-23T02:42:57.569-04:00@philiped is right. i'm sure the editors are p...@philiped is right. i'm sure the editors are pissed after this interview. irony is, newspapers demand transparency, just not their own!<br /><br />pogue is still a valuable writer for the Times. if he left the Times i'm very sure that any other news organization would try their hardest to snatch him up. <br /><br />his argument that usa today is a bigger paper is true but i would argue that a Times review has a lot more impact than a review appearing in USA Today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-24983970593021976752009-09-23T00:02:51.760-04:002009-09-23T00:02:51.760-04:00It is completely irrelevant whether Pogue is a &qu...It is completely irrelevant whether Pogue is a "journalist".<br /><br />What is relevant is whether the various pies he has his extremely capable fingers in consitute, together, a conflict of interest.<br /><br />I do not know the answer to that.<br /><br />But I am extremely dismayed to learn that Pogue is unclear on the concept of "conflict of interest".<br /><br />The issue has nothing to do with what category he is labeled with. The issue is simply whether his opinions can be relied upon to be unbiased, *even though* -- for example -- he writes books about Apple products (whose sales are likely to increase his book sales) *at the same time as* he is reviewing those very same Apple products for the New York Times.<br /><br />IF Pogue addressed the issue of conflict of interest, and argued persuasively that his opinions remain unbiased, then I would be fine with the situation.<br /><br />But if he thinks the issue is whether he went to journalism school . . . that worries me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-67502717666472443532009-09-22T22:39:25.731-04:002009-09-22T22:39:25.731-04:00I understand the conflict of interest, as does Pog...I understand the conflict of interest, as does Pogue himself. What I don't understand is the contempt people seem to have for him, Jason Calacanis is being an idiot, very spiteful and shallow with his Twitter comments. <br /><br />Meanwhile, I listened to the TWiT interview and this post has taken things out of context to make them sound worse, for example the final comment about how he needs to keep doing his books was what he actually said 9 years ago when the Times wanted to hire him. He can't make enough freelancing with a newspaper so he made it clear to them he needed to keep doing his books. However this post referenced it in such a way that it appeared he was being stubborn and ignoring Leo LaPorte's arguments, saying in defiance, 'I'm gonna keep doing my books no matter what you think'.<br /><br />Not true and not cool.Natenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-6416717047866385232009-09-22T22:28:24.681-04:002009-09-22T22:28:24.681-04:00If a perception exists that Pogue tends to approve...If a perception exists that Pogue tends to approve of Apple stuff, that may, <em>just possibly</em>, be due to a judgment on his part that Apple stuff is pretty damned good overall.<br /><br />This idea that one must be guilty of bias toward or against something <em>if he makes an informed judgment about it</em> is just ignorant. Some ideas are better than others, some products are better than others, some companies are better than others.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01748519209136276417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-47749582959149363532009-09-22T21:40:39.425-04:002009-09-22T21:40:39.425-04:00Pogue is correct. This is an industry-wide problem...Pogue is correct. This is an industry-wide problem and why he's being taken to the shed is nonsense. And in the big picture, he's just covering tech products. Really not earth-shatteringly important if he has some conflicts going on there. Explain to me where the outrage is about Fox News having Karl Rove on their network as a commentator or all these "business analysts" who go on TV to report news about companies they have investments in. Conflicts of interest are endemic to the whole news industry--not just tech reporting. If we're going to call out Pogue, let's call out everyone. Otherwise leave the man alone. He's a better writer and more informative than 90% of the hacks out there, journalist or not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-86603864157299681772009-09-22T21:32:25.956-04:002009-09-22T21:32:25.956-04:00This piece is a pathetic hatchet job. David Pogue...This piece is a pathetic hatchet job. David Pogue is the best in the country at what he does. If, after all these years, his reviews were tainted by bias, it would be apparent and people wouldn't trust him or buy his books. But they do. In droves. Because he's talented, clever and entertaining, and says what he thinks. Even people who aren't shopping for a tech product read him.<br /> <br /> Success breeds envy. If we could harness the envy of the nytpicker, we could solve the world's energy crisis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-66542241144480431882009-09-22T19:47:58.366-04:002009-09-22T19:47:58.366-04:00"Doesn't anyone think it's good that ..."Doesn't anyone think it's good that Pogue is writing a book about a topic and covering it at the same time?" -- YES<br /><br />That is because I trust his commitment to public interest. In the 15+ years that I've known him, Pogue has always put his audience first.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17777178044868827470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-75160656405184610642009-09-22T19:05:23.701-04:002009-09-22T19:05:23.701-04:00Pogue and journalism go together like WWE and wres...Pogue and journalism go together like WWE and wrestling. It's fake, but don't try telling that to a fan.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04185887911782171924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-87776204087848211002009-09-22T17:51:25.694-04:002009-09-22T17:51:25.694-04:00Leo Laporte can't talk. I just listened to his...Leo Laporte can't talk. I just listened to his Radio broadcast and he kept recommending over and over sponsors products to the callers in. He wouldn't at times even mention they were sponsors. <br />His podcast Windows Weekly has had similar problems. A week ago I went to Thurrotts website - winsupersite - and there was a sponsorship from Microsoft before u could enter the site. It's been taken down now. But to have a podcast about microsoft and one host to be sponsored by them is a clear conflict.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-510881310770397972009-09-22T17:50:23.844-04:002009-09-22T17:50:23.844-04:00Mr. Pogue is the best in the world at what he does...Mr. Pogue is the best in the world at what he does. He is all ways informative and entertaining. I wish it were that his detractors could do half as well. I never read their stuff anyway.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08377865981360703208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-19732535665375574822009-09-22T17:39:32.993-04:002009-09-22T17:39:32.993-04:00David is funny, does ok reviews (he's no Ars T...David is funny, does ok reviews (he's no Ars Technica and admits it) and has provided a wealth of information/entertainment to readers/viewers over the years. He ain't no reporter/journo, just like the rest of us bloggers.Nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08565802901924200271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-53445894259307949822009-09-22T17:29:57.324-04:002009-09-22T17:29:57.324-04:00The public needs to get comfortable with writers h...The public needs to get comfortable with writers having relationships with a variety of company types, including publications and private companies, as revenue models for publishers and new media evolves. For many talented writers, one business relationship is not enough. Providing space for the disclosure is a good policy, and let the public think what they will. <br /><br />One unasked question is, would David have asked a tougher series of follow-up questions to Jobs if he was not writing the Apple software user manuals? No. That's not his interview style. If you don't like his interview style, don't read him. But don't attack him for not doing something he wouldn't do anyway and attribute it to a conflict of interest.<br /><br />This conversation should have been all about interview style (which is really what "I am not a journalist" gets at) rather than a conflict of interest question. And the people who read and watch Pogue do so precisely because of his style. There is no conflict here. And I trust David to continue to make the calls in his own writing and business relationships that enable him to do interesting, quality work, or I would not be a reader of his in the first place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-34532257087362862872009-09-22T14:56:01.697-04:002009-09-22T14:56:01.697-04:00The NYT should let him go, period.The NYT should let him go, period.Sam Bengalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-48695006652588858322009-09-22T14:31:00.789-04:002009-09-22T14:31:00.789-04:00The sad problem is that Pogue never realized just ...The sad problem is that Pogue never realized just how the companies would try to do anything to establish the same kind of cushy relationship shared with Apple. The NAB almost certainly paid him to be a keynote speaker at a conference and then, coincidence?, he turns around and writes about HD radio a few months later.<br /><br />http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Radio&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=12737<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/technology/personaltech/09pogue.html<br /><br /><br />I don't think he consciously set out to sell himself to the highest bidder, but that's what the speaking engagements allowed him to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007635024151290238.post-52072580544953287492009-09-22T14:12:52.421-04:002009-09-22T14:12:52.421-04:00Gawker used the old search box technique to dig up...Gawker used the old search box technique to dig up a number of glaring examples of how Pogue calls himself a journalist when it suits his needs.<br /><br />http://gawker.com/5365105/david-pogue-i-am-not-a-reporter-i-have-never-been-to-journalism-schoolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com