Comments on: PC World editor resigns over apparent ad pressure

Harry McCracken leaves leading computer magazine after 12 years because IDG management urged him to curtail stories critical of advertisers, sources say.

[ChasmoeBrown]

Big Surprise (He used ... sarcasm.)

It really isn't a surprise. MacWorld has Jobs' brownness all over
their noses. Steve has them all scared of him. I like and use
Apple's products but I would not want Apple ruling the world.

[oxtail01]

So, what else is new?

Any media company that depends on ad dollars (including CNET) cannot be truly objective. Have you noticed some awful reviews put out by CNET that favors sponsor's products?

[Oxfordmike]

Nothing New ...

I've run into this before, beginning over 20 years ago when a major computer magazine asked me to add negatives to a software review because the publisher had cancelled some of its advertising. (For details, see my posts on this subject at http://mikebanks.blogspot.com .)

If advertising "partners" are protected against negative reviews, or non-advertisers are slammed, it begins to look like payola. As in, "Pay us [advertise] and we'll sing your product's praises; don't pay and we'll bury it."
--Michael A. Banks
http://www.michaelabanks.com

[GSKearney]

Good Luck Harry

This will obviously affect my choice of renewal options. The reason that I liked PC World was its editorial independence and willingness to call piece of junk a piece of junk. I generally get most of my information online, so I guess I'll just have one less magazine cluttering my mailbox.

[iZune]

Apple Fanatics Try to KILL All Dissent

Even in a business environment we can't get away from Apple fantatics who kill all dissent. Apple was NOT a major advertiser of PCWorld, yet the VP was the former CEO of MacWorld. This all makes sense that the Apple terrorist wins.

[kirkules]

And you as innocent as a lamb

And we are all supposed to look the other way whistling a tune and
pretend that with a name like "iZune" you have no bias or agenda
either? Riiiiigggghhhhhhhhhttttt!

[Ex-IDG]

Not surprising...

I worked at IDG in a senior position and know both parties involved (Crawford & McCracken). I can say that one of them is a clear expert, while the other thinks he is and talks a helluva good game in an effort to convince others of that fiction. You can probably work out which is which.

The news isn't surprising as, although many IDG magazines and websites are excellent, the company infrastructure is a shambles -- I had to leave because it was like doing brain surgery in the dark trying to get anything done there.

Good luck Harry...

[lazlohenry]

what happened to the media?

Any magazine you open today will have some full page ad from a company and then a friendly article on the next page. You ever notice the music magazines only interview bands on labels that advertise? And gadget magazines review a product and then an ad is on the next page for that same product?

Boycott them all, and if you find a magazine that actually gives an opinion regardless of ads, spread the word!

[photony]

The reality

I worked for the publishing industry for years. The reason you'll
find an ad for that company next to the article has nothing to do
with the editorial staff. It's the advertising guys who upsell
advertisers after the story is finished and going to run. The
advertising department makes sure the ad runs near the article,
it's been done that way for ages. Usually the company would
have advertised anyway, this just gets them prime placement as
reinforcement to the consumer who has just read the article.
Good business sense, and the editorial department has no
involvement, nor prompting from the ad guys.

Though I hate it when good journalists leave on one level, I'm
very proud of them for sticking up for what they believe is right.
Certainly gives them credibility. Having quit jobs and fired
several clients over ethics, it hurts in the short run but in the
long run it's what needs to be done.

[Phillep_H]

What happened?

Biased reporting in print has been the rule ever since printing presses were invented. It went with a desire to remain alive.

Unbiased reporting is unusual, and precious.

[websterphreaky]

The Jack Booted Apple Corps Stomps Free Speech ...

Wow! All these comments and NOT A SINGLE ONE NOTING THAT
IT WAS APPLE'S IRON BOOT that stomped out Free Press
Commentary at PC World! Who the heck do you think those
"advertisers" were that complained (and probably threatened to
pull the few remaining advertising dollars from toilet paper thin
sister publication (and PR Extension for Apple) Macworld
magazine) ???

Either you are ALL STUPID or you are ALL APPLE KOOL AID
DRINKERS!! This the way Jack Booted Stevie Gods err Jobs works!
Denial is not a way to live your lives, fools.

[tacit]

"Jack Booted Apple?"

Do you work at IDG? Do you have evidence that any person at
Apple or any person associated with Apple threatened to pull
any advertising? Or is this just emotional anti-Apple hysteria?

You say that Apple threatened to pull advertising, and that
prompted the decision. If this is so, prove it. Name the person or
persons at Apple who made this threat. Name the person or
persons at IDG to whom this threat was delivered.

Many magazines, unfortunately, adopt policies saying that they
will not criticize advertisers even when the advertisers
themselves do not threaten to pull ads or make any other
demands. It's shameful and it's disgusting, and it turns the
magazine into nothing but a tool for marketing. If IDG refused to
print an article criticizing Apple because of a policy of not
offending its advertisers, then IDG has crossed an unacceptable
line and its magazines are now worthless. The fact, if it is a fact,
that IDG would do such a thing is reprehensible.

But nobody has suggested anyone at Apple was responsible for
this decision. If you do not have direct and provable knowledge
that this is so, you've been drinking too heavily of the emotional
anti-Apple Kool Aid.

[freediverdude]

this is why Consumer Reports came about.....

This very type of reason is why the Consumer Reports magazine came about many years ago- because most magazines or reviews aren't completely independent. I don't always like Consumer Reports reviews sometimes, because they tend to be very utilitarian, but they don't accept ANY advertising at all. Items are rated completely by surveys of Consumers Union members and tests of how good the product is.

[Phillep_H]

Still biased

Try to find a review on hand guns or ammo. The bias is not commercial, is all.

[michael locker md]

Interesting

Wow.

Michael Locker MD

[Bookerman]

Pathetic, Since McCracken Uses a Mac

You know, some people are just overly sensitive. Obviously by the title of the article, you can tell the story would be light-hearted. Even so, they have one columnist who seriously trashes Vista all the time, yet nobody seems to care on bit. All I can say is that somebody who makes too much money cannot stand anything but kissing their behind. As far as McCracken goes, too bad you cannot go to the other guys either. If you read that magazine, you scratch your head & look at the cover and wonder what the hell is the name of this publication.

[oliverrp]

Right On - Since McCracken Uses a Mac

Who better to write/edit "10 Reasons Why We Hate Apple" than a Mac user? In fact, wouldn't read such a story by a Windows user! Any of us that have used Wintel since the beginning could write a great column on "1,000 Reasons We Hate Microsoft"!

[open-mind]

Ten Things We Hate About Apple?

How do they know the story was killed by ad pressure?

I don't subscribe to PC World, but McCracken's premise seems
flawed. It would make more sense if the "hate" article was about
Microsoft, Dell, HP, Circuit City, Samsung, etc. Those are the big
advertisers on their web site. Does Apple even advertise in PC
World? Was the article killed for jeopardizing imaginary ad
revenue?

Has anybody even seen the article? I couldn't find it on the
internet. Maybe it just sucked.

Or maybe PC World wants to become a magazine that appeals to
all PC users, not just Windows PC users. I'm looking at their Mac
section right now, and it's pretty dismal. Here are their top six
articles:

1) All You Need To Know About the Apple SEC Probe
2) Apple: Some Notebooks May Have Battery Issues
3) Contest Winner: Vista More Secure Than Mac OS
4) Apple Patches Hack Challenges Quicktime Bug
5) Steve Jobs Promises 'Greener Apple'
6) Danish Agency Finds Apple iBook Design Flaw

Off to the side is a forum discussion ... "Do you think that
Quicktime acts like adware?" And there are a few more negative
articles below. I see almost no helpful articles or tips or info
about cool new stuff. Even though it should be easy to borrow
some from their sister publication, Mac World.

Their general focus on negativity seems to create a pretty dismal
impression. I don't see any reason to subscribe.

[slider9499]

A Disgusting Display by the Publisher

The loser who fired has no ethics whatsoever and is what os wrong witht he media today - no backbone whatsoever. The separation between church and state in the media business is s avery thin line, one that needs to walked on very carefully. In this case the publisher decided to trash that line and feed the beast, that is, kiss apple's ass and fire one its own. They toss a man like this over the side for the almighty dollar. They did it with Imus and this is just a [small] extension of management caving in to pressure put on them by their advertisers. This is an absolutely disgusting story and if we CNET readers had any guts we would boycott all products produced by this slime of an organization.

[Ilgaz]

As owner of 3 macs I am seriously irritated

I can't believe the fanaticism goes to this level, they (fanatics or fanboys) are actually defending censor.

[as901]

This goes beyond Apple.

The issue is not that Apple is the bad guy. It is PC World who gave the order. PC world and it's mother company are the ones to blame. I suspect that Microsoft negative stories would be squashed just as fast if not faster. My advice, do not trust PC world again.

[blyons41]

Squashing bad Microsoft Articles?????

Evidently you have never read PC World Mag. You cannot find an issue where at least one editor or reporter is not bashing a Microsoft Product

[blyons41]

RE: Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken

Hooray for Harry. As for PC World Mag. They have just screwed themselves. I have had a subscription to the Magazine for over 15 years and it is a shame it has to come to an end. When a magazine becomes a shill for their advertisors they are no longer a magazine but a sleazy advertisement for the likes of Apple. Nothing is ever said bout ALL the articles about "the ten things we hate about Microsoft." After my suscription ends I WILL NOT BE RENEWING IT.
Nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fil0403]

The Apple-censorship continues

Another anti-Apple story killed by pressures.
What's the news here?

[Fil0403]

More

I like the fact how the title of the article hides the important indirect involvement of Apple in this story.

[Fil0403]

More

I like the fact how the title of the article hides the important indirect involvement of Apple in this story.

[johnxtampa]

He shoulda resigned over their forced splash-ads to continue

I quit reading PC World because of how they splash ads before you can get to their article (when clicked on from Google News)

[J.G.]

Editor not heroic

This whole tempest in a teapot is being presented as if McCracken had engaged in some heroic defense of journalism. But, the facts prove he didn't. The article at issue was their thousandth or so bashing of Apple. He is a grown man and should have learned to put away childish things long ago. A temper tantrum over being told that silly baiting of Apple would no longer be allowed proves he didn't.

[littlefatty2x4]

PC World Posts Controversial Story

What's the big deal?

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130994/article.html