January 11, 2008 2:50 PM PST
CEA's take on CES Gizmodo prank: Banned!
In reaction to "Gizmodogate," the gadget blog's prank of shutting down flat-screen displays on the show floor and during demos at CES (see Bloggers behaving badly), the conference's organizer, the Consumer Electronics Association, sent me this statement:
We have been informed of inappropriate behavior on the show floor by a credentialed media attendee from the Web site Gizmodo, owned by Gawker Media. Specifically, the Gizmodo staffer interfered with the exhibitor booth operations of numerous companies, including disrupting at least one press event. The Gizmodo staffer violated the terms of CES media credentials and caused harm to CES exhibitors. This Gizmodo staffer has been identified and will be barred from attending any future CES events. Additional sanctions against Gizmodo and Gawker Media are under discussion.
See also: Gizmodo editor Brian Lam's argument against my position on Valleywag (comment No. 7).
Originally posted at Webware
Rafe Needleman writes about start-ups, new technologies, and Web 2.0 products, as editor of CNET's Webware. E-mail Rafe. View complete CES 2008 coverage from CNET.
It's too bad that you think this prank makes Gizmodo "idiots". It makes the one Gizmodo staffer who initiated the prank into somewhat of an industry pariah, but it's his own problem. Maybe, just maybe, the editors wanted him to post that so they could effectively get rid of him.
Too much time wasted on this already...
What's really working here is the slow spiral of Gawker Media - which is your story and not the frat boy mentality at Gizmodo.
The prank would have been yanked from publication and the responsible kids dealt with at any other reputable outlet.
My guess is that the readership will not flee Gizmodo but the manufacturers will look twice at whether a Gizmodo interview or product scoop is granted first or after other outlets get theirs.
Without remote control support this 'vandalism' simply does not work (I agree that it is 'vandalism; BTW)
Visit www.dailydooh.com for industry analysis on digital out of home
Hopefully, it properly deflated the over reaching impact of this bloated excuse for a show.
What really surprises me is how many in the media were already criticizing the show, but are now indignant that it was negatively impacted.
Go Gizmodo!
As far as pranks go, this one isn't all that funny. I recall doing the same thing back in high school when one of my nerd friends got a TV remote control wrist watch.
Jeremy P lesser screen at the convention!!!
i think its hilarious that so many people here are agreeing that they should be kicked out. i bet most of you have downloading some mp3 illegally or used a copy of software with someone else's cd key but do you think you should be banned? no, its all fun. since when did hackers have morals?
- by January 23, 2008 2:55 PM PST
- integrity - would be not closing comments on a later blog post, that basically told you to GROW THE HELL UP!
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