Some traditional journalists still have the attitude of underestimating and ignoring bloggers. In today’s world, that is not acceptable. That kind of arrogant attitude is one of the main reasons conventional publications are struggling.
Perhaps some traditional journalists are jealous of certain bloggers’ influence and reputation. Some may envy certain bloggers’ financial successes. However, in any situation, being conceited and playing down others’ abilities are not the way to catch up, compete, or become better in the future.
Here is an example of a tech magazine editor underestimating an influential blogger:
About a month and a half ago, Lance Ulanoff, Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President of Content for the PC Magazine, wrote an article on his publication that starts with the following paragraph:
“If you say something, does it automatically make it so? Clearly, that’s what TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington thinks. Today (11/18/2009), he proclaimed that ‘The Google Phone Is Very Real. And It’s Coming Soon.’ The story outlines what TechCrunch has ‘absolutely confirmed’ and then knits together a series of assumptions and possible clues into what appears to be a quilt of unattributed fabrication.”
Ulanoff’s article is titled “Google Phone? In Arrington’s Dreams!” and subtitled “Apparently, TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington can write anything he wants and get away with it.” For the rest of his article, Ulanoff continues to criticize and rant about Arrington, who is perhaps the most respected and influential blogger for the technology industry. Here is an excerpt of how Ulanoff characterizes Arrington and his blog, TechCrunch:
“Readers need to understand that Arrington’s motives for any of his content are murky at best. I don’t think he’s about delivering the best and most reliable information to his audience. He wants to be big, he wants to be important, and he wants people to visit TechCrunch and read its feeds. He wants companies paying fealty to him and the aura he exudes. And he gets all of these things even when he gets it completely wrong.”
Guess what? Today, Google introduced the Nexus One, a Google phone that Arrington had written about a month and a half ago.
Ulanoff comes across as a real jerk.
And the last time I looked at PC Magazine was when? Ooops. Almost forgot. There is no longer a PC Magazine.
Great article. I love seeing these types of stories. Congrats to Arringtton for making TechCrunch a leader in tech reporting.
And really, it makes sense. With the startup tech industry changing by the minute, who needs to read a publication with a publishing cycle of a month when there is breaking news that needs a cycle of, at the very least, an hour?
The other day, I was flipping through some tech magazine. Their "news"? TwitterPeek, which was unveiled ages ago. Great post!
Don't more people read TechCrunch than PC Magazine anyway?
So true! Many major magazines have gone online and are now editing blogs in real time and it always surprises me that a magazine, as well known ad PC Magazine, that's supposed to be at the top of the new tech/web culture throw dirt on a site a blog like TechCrunch. It's like trying to spit at the sky. Oh, wait, Ulanoff did not only try on this one, he did it.