May 2, 2007 7:00 PM PDT
PC World editor resigns over apparent ad pressure
McCracken, reached Wednesday evening, confirmed that he resigned after 12 years at the magazine and 16 years at publisher International Data Group, over disagreements with management. He declined to comment on the nature of those disagreements.
But three sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told CNET News.com that McCracken informed staffers in an afternoon meeting Wednesday that he decided to resign because Colin Crawford, senior vice president, online, at IDG Communications, was pressuring him to avoid stories that were critical of major advertisers.
Wired News reported Wednesday evening that McCracken quit after Crawford killed a draft story titled "Ten Things We Hate About Apple."
An IDG representative confirmed McCracken resigned, but said he was unable to comment on personnel matters. In an e-mail to News.com, Crawford denied that advertiser pressure played any part in McCracken's resignation.
PC World is best known for its product reviews and how-to expertise. The magazine has won numerous awards over the years for its coverage of the PC industry and technology in general, including six prizes--such as Best Computer/Consumer Magazine--just awarded last week at the Maggie awards, run by the Western Publications Association.
"I spent 12 years at PC World; it's been incredibly good to me," McCracken said. He said he will still have some sort of writing relationship with the organization.
A source at PC World who wished to remain anonymous praised McCracken's decision.
"It saddens us all that Harry, a PC World institution, decided to leave," the source said. "But dammit, we're proud of him for doing it."
PC World is published by IDG, a venerable trade publishing organization that has been covering the technology industry since 1964. The monthly magazine reaches 4.3 million "purchase influencers," and PCWorld.com has 6.8 million unique visitors per month, according to a Wednesday press release touting the Maggies winners.
IDG also publishes well-known trade magazines and Web sites about the computer industry such as Computerworld, Network World, and InfoWorld, which recently shuttered its print publication and focused solely on its Web site. IDG was founded by Patrick McGovern and is privately held.
Crawford has been with IDG since 1994, according to his blog, when he became CEO of Macworld. He ran Macworld until 2003, when he became vice president of business development within IDG's corporate management structure, before assuming his current role.
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by someone else?
There is no doubt that marketing people try to pressure editors
to be easy on advertisers who provide significant income.
Especially now as magazines feel pressure from websites.
If all editors reported all attempts to pressure them, it would
stop. Advertisers are afraid of being exposed for pressuring
news organizations to slant news. Cockroaches always scatter
when the light is turned on.
In Atlanta some big car dealership pulled all of their ads from
the Atlanta Journal back in the 80s because they did an article
on dishonest car delears.
A newspaper I worked for killed an article in a special section
once. The article was on how to buy a used car.
It happens all the time. And any editor worth his/her salt will
resist. Publishers need to keep their fingers out of the editorial
content if they can't keep the separation between editorial and
advertising. Because they kill the goose that lays the golden egg
the minute readers realize that the stories are not independent
of such advertisers pressure.
I'm going to cancel all of my email subscriptions to IDG
publications. And I'm going to tell them why.
I know it doesn't make sense, but there you are.
Corruption will not stop until someone some where says enough is enough. It only takes one person to get things going.
Thank you for your post
But what's he going to do next? Print is slipping to second place.
But in contrast to this story...
Would that mean that most CNET Editors are "yes-Men"?
They always write favourable reviews for their advertisers.
I suppose its a Catch-22. You need the dollars to run the
business. In the end, I guess the only one who loses are the
readers.
Anyway, it does a great job and its reviews are really top notch. A publication can only be successful only if the readers find value in the things he/she reads.
However, once the product in question is bad and the story is edited to be more 'acceptable' to the advertisers then the readers will be at the losing end. On the other hand, some writers may have uncalled prejudices against a particular brand or product and may reflect in their writing.
We need a better review method. One that is in used now is the users' review which is good. But would it be better if reviewers from other departments write their thoughts too? So at least there are two views to have an average gauge.
My 2 cents worth.
Wilson
If this story is true then I will indeed avoid IDG publications going forward.
somebody else with his stature in the Administration had behaved
similarly earlier, certain current events might well have had a better
outcome.
sensationalist headline grabbing hypocrites.
After being a subscriber for over 6 years I have let my subscription
lapse, and with good cause.
With tabloid headlines like ...iPod killer..., iPhone killer..., and 10
reasons you should hate..., many IDG publications have become a
techno-geek National Enquirer.
There needs to be an entire house cleaning of all IDG publications
staff.
In an effort to chase ad dollars Crawford does not serve its readers by sucking up to advertisers. This is what happens when you put an advertiser's advocate in charge of editorial and tell the journalist to check their ethics at the door.
stay in business. This is deffinately a conflict!
I see this in automobile magazines too. The most open writing is in
freelance writing were the author can express his or her thoughts.
Commercial media is controlled by advertisers.
As more and more media companies struggle to pay the bills, you're going to see more and more accomodations made to protect the revenue rather than print the truth.
I worked in TV news for more than a dozen years and cannot tell you how many times our sales department would dictate news coverage for the day.
It's not new and it's not all that surprising and maybe that's the sad part.
Jason Hiner
TechRepublic
It's a real shame that we have to deal with issues such as this. Let common sense prevail.
If you don't like it, just don't subscribe or read these biased articles. Live free or die.
That nearly killed the magazine, and that was before people had the internet to communicate through.
PM has started regaining some ground recently, but it should never have lost that ground to start with.
So now IDG is just lip-service for their advertisers, so in essence we are just reading a catalog. I don't have time for that.
You have lost credibility with your readers and I can only hope that translates into less readers and less advertising revenue.
IDG, You have made a grave mistake.
- Time to clean up
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by Dragon Forge
May 3, 2007 10:22 AM PDT
- I stopped buying ziffdavis and idg publications years ago for exactly these reasons, and duel on various tech sites with the poodlefakers and webhoes that make the most of their living by pumping bs into the market place or at least obscuring the facts.
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See all 63 Comments >>E.g. right now there is a huge wave of hype concerning sharepoint 2007 with web postioners working frantically to obscure the facts from the light of day.
Remember just because there is a little criticism leveled at a product it does not mean the review is either fair or objective.