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October 18, 2005
Do Mac-Lovin' Hacks Hate Microsoft or Love Apple Too Much?
PC Magazine columnist John Dvorak claims that tech journalists love Apple because they're so starry-eyed over the Macs they use. The upshot, he claims, is reporting that's biased against Microsoft.
"As big and as important as Microsoft is, the coverage of the company is quite mediocre. This is particularly true in the mainstream press. The reason for this is that today's newspaper and magazine tech writers know little about computers and are all Mac users. It's a fact. ... The newsroom editors are generally so out of touch that they can't see this bias. Besides, they use Macs too. There are entire newsrooms, such as the one at Forbes, that consist entirely of Macintoshes. Apparently nobody but me finds this weird.
"Even Jack Shafer, who recently wrote about Apple's skewed coverage in Slate fails to point out the connection between the skewed coverage and the existence of this peculiar conflict of interest based on the national writers' use of Macs. I often confront these guys with this assertion, and they, to a man (I've never confronted a female reporter about this), all say that they use a Mac 'because it is better.' Right. And that attitude doesn't affect coverage now, does it?"
It's an interesting question. If you're covering Microsoft and you use a Mac exclusively, I can see how that might be a problem. But John's not talking about wet-behind-the-ears newbies. Read the whole column and it's obvious he's including tech veterans like Steven Levy, John Markoff, Walt Mossberg, Katie Hafner and a bunch of other folks who've been around the block a few times. He doesn't name them but they certainly appear to be among his targets (and I hope he'll correct me if I'm wrong).
Jack Slater doesn't name anyone either but all this pro-Apple propaganda is coming from somewhere. If you agree with Dvorak and Slater, send me examples. Let's see if there's anything to this use-a-Mac, slobber-over-Jobs theory of journalism. My bias is that I know Levy, Markoff and Hafner and, because they are friends, can't be trusted to write objectively about the issue. But I can write fairly and accurately about it. But can Dvorak or Slater? What kind of computers do they use? If they use PCs, doesn't that bias them against Apple?
I think reporters slobber over Apple because (as Shafer points out), Apple is much better at spinning compelling narratives than Microsoft and much better at dealing with the press overall. (Nobody working for Apple ever called me to complain because I failed to include an Apple product in a round-up of dubious products that I trashed in print. Believe it or not, someone from Microsoft did.) The fact that various publications praise Apple products that, soon after, fail on the marketplace doesn't necessarily mean that reporters are biased. They could simply be wrong. Reporters, like other folks, are wrong at times. Especially when it involves crystal balls. For a while there was practically a death watch over the company because it was doing so poorly. In those days the press got slammed for bias against Apple.
John may be right but his argument seems a little silly to me. Do you have to drive a Ford to report fairly on Ford Motor Co. or wear Levi-brand jeans to cover Levi-Strauss? What about the gender and race issues? Male reporters can be trusted to cover abortion but give 'em a Mac and they lose all sense of proportion? Maybe, but I'm not convinced. What about you? Details, I want details.
Posted by Deborah Branscum at October 18, 2005 10:18 PM
Comments
I can't speak for other writers and reviewers, but I use both platforms daily. And which machine I use has nothing to do with my reviews. I have praised Apple products in reviews written on Windows PCs, and praised Microsoft stuff in reviews written on Macs. The argument is just ludicrous.
The truth is that Apple is the most innovative computer company, and the only one that largely aims at consumers and very small businesses. All the others are mainly focused on big corporate customers, as is Microsoft. There's nothing wrong with that, but I am focused on consumers, and the consumer space is also where change -- and thus news -- happens fastest.
I have no problem with Microsoft's p.r. people -- they are smart and professional and I work well with them. But Apple has been on a roll for five years or more, with great products. As I have said publicly, if the products go south, I'll turn on them in a New York minute.
Posted by: Walt Mossberg at October 20, 2005 03:22 AM
Back when I was inside the Apple firewall, I was advised by more senior employees to ignore the press, because the reporting of bad news was always worse than the bad news, and the reporting of good news was always better than the good news. Apple just seems to attract drama, and the five-year cycle happens to be in its favor at the moment. Wait until Vista's been around a few years and the iPod business is struggling against a healthy clone market and suddenly Wired magazine will be running covers of the Apple logo in a crown of thorns again. You ever wonder why I seem so hostile toward the press? Work at Apple.
And another thing: Ever hear of Microsoft Word? Gee; I wonder if it's installed on any of those Macs in those newsrooms. Oy.
Posted by: Pete at October 21, 2005 04:52 AM