[mdlug] Is MS bribing bloggers?

[Wolfger]

On 12/28/06, Robert G. Brown <bob at whizdomsoft.com> wrote:

> >...It only becomes unethical if the bloggers try to conceal what
> >Microsoft has done to curry their favor.
> Going back to the payola cases, that is part of what transpired in
> those cases. No DJ's (that I know of) went on the air to say...
> "...and XYZ records paid me 500 bucks to spin this new tune for you!"
>
> So how do we know how many blogger have NOT disclosed their gifts
> from Redmond? This raises some real trust issues, true?

Nah. Not really. Maybe in the short term, but in the long run you'll
know who's trustworthy and who'll isn't. Much like movie reviews. You
get familiar with the publications and names that always give good
reviews to bad movies, and you ignore them (or immediately expect crap
if you see their names on the movie poster). Good movies get good
reviews from reputable names.

How far do we take this "payola" idea, anyhow? For example: TWiT often
talked (and I assume it still does) about how it was proudly
advertisement free... often immediately before or after plugging AOL
for providing their bandwidth for free. Excuse me, but isn't that an
ad? But I see nothing wrong with that. DJs, movie reviewers,
journalists... they all get *paid*. Why should we expect bloggers and
podcasters to work hard and eschew material gains?

-- 
Wolfger
http://randomsynapsefiring.eponym.com/
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