Senior CNET Writer Resigns Over Dish Controversy

[Tony S]

CBS getting more bad press:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/01/cnet-reporter-resigns-over-cbs-censorship-of-dish-hopper-review/

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/senior-cnet-writer-quits-over-dish-controversy-146521

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/cnet-writer-quits-over-cbs-meddling.html

http://www.talkingbiznews.com/1/cnet-writer-resigns-after-ethics-flap-with-parent-company/

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Brian Cooley needs to resign as well or his reputation is blown.

It's too bad to as he does great work.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[cosmo_kramer]

"Sad to report that I've resigned from CNET. I no longer have confidence that CBS is committed to editorial independence," tweeted digital media reporter Greg Sandoval today. "CNET wasn't honest about what occurred regarding Dish is unacceptable to me." He added, "We are supposed to be truth tellers. I believe CNET's leaders are also honest but used poor judgement."

You have to wonder what else may be happening in their news division....

 

[Tony S]

You have to wonder what else may be happening in their news division....

I have to agree. Who can trust CBS as a news source when their content is censored by corporate headquarters.

 

[dare2be]

Good for him for attempting to maintain his integrity.

 

[Juan]

I have to agree. Who can trust CBS as a news source when their content is censored by corporate headquarters.

has been for decades..its the American way

 

[TheKrell]

Exclusive from the Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/14/3...-cnet-editors-to-recast-vote-after-hopper-win. The new Dish Hopper actually did win the Best Of award when the bigwigs at CBS caught wind of this event.

 

[dare2be]

Exclusive from the Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/14/3...-cnet-editors-to-recast-vote-after-hopper-win. The new Dish Hopper actually did win the Best Of award when the bigwigs at CBS caught wind of this event.

I loved this blurb:

Ironically, in a recent case brought against CBS Interactive which alleged the parent company was responsible for the actions of its subsidiaries, CBS lawyers argued that meddling in the affairs of its independent sites "would chill speech and technological innovation and warrants restraint." In that case, entrepreneur Alki David alleged CBS Interactive was contributing to copyright infringement due to the news articles on CNETthat promoted P2P software and taught users how to get around copyright protection on digital media, as well as distribution of P2P software Limewire on its Download.com site. CBS based its motion to dismiss the case on both a distinction between CBS and CBS Interactive, and the potential effects linking the parent with its news subsidiaries would have on editorial independence and freedom of the press. Holding CBS responsible forCNET, CBS' lawyers argued, "would create grave uncertainties for writers and publishers — including search engines, web encyclopedias, blogs and most technology journalists — that seek to communicate truthful information about emerging technologies including P2P file-sharing services."

CBS really does want its hypocritical cake and eat it too.

 

[Teehar]

I am shocked,truly shocked,that anyone would trust CBS news in the first place.Same goes for 99% of all the others.All any of them care about is $$$ and ratings.

Glad to see the truth came out in the end.

 

[JerryDowning]

The only thing that I will watch on CBS anymore is football. They just don't seem to care anymore about anything but money. I could see that by the dramatic increase in advertising over the last few years.

 

[Ilya]

Very bad call by CBS execs! By creating this controversy they have done a lot of damage to CBS, while at the same time they have created publicity for Dish and Hopper, perhaps even more than any review from CNET would've achieved!

 

[tomcrown1]

This is the end of cnet. for tech news go to TWIT TV as Leo and gang are the mavericks of the tech world.

 

[dare2be]

I sure do miss The Screensavers.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The only thing CBS did wrong is that they should have told Dish that they do not qualify to be in the contest before CES even started, instead of pulling them out at the last minute like they did.

I don't agree that they where disqualified at the last minute, but I do agree with CBS stepping in and making sure the award was not given due to the lawsuit.

As far as CBS is concerned, they are in a lawsuit with Dish over the Hopper right now. You know how bad it would look if they went to court, and here they are suing Dish over the Hopper, yet they give the Hopper the best of show award?

C'mon, here is an award for designing a DVR that threatens to take away our advertising revenue. Makes no sense for CBS, and they did what they had to do.

As far as the writer who resigned, this will all blow over in a few weeks anyways. Should have kept his Job!

 

[yaz96]

The only thing that I will watch on CBS anymore is football. They just don't seem to care anymore about anything but money. I could see that by the dramatic increase in advertising over the last few years.

What dramatic increases in advertising? All the networks are regulated as to how much advertising they can show in any given hour.

 

[dfergie]

Claude, CBS didn't give the awards CNET did, what the "Eye" did is inexcusable ...

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Claude, CBS didn't give the awards CNET did, what the "Eye" did is inexcusable ...

dfergie - It's not worth it. Charlie Ergen could cure cancer and Claude would still find something wrong with that.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Claude, CBS didn't give the awards CNET did, what the "Eye" did is inexcusable ...

CBS owns CNET, so they are two of the same as far as im concerned.

This is not inexcusable. If Charlie could pull CBS right now, he would just like he pulled AMC due to the lawsuit with cablevision. The problem for Charlie is too many people watch CBS, and he couldn't deal with the backlash from his subscribers. Nobody cared about AMC, and the contract expired with them so thats why he was able to get away with it.

This whole thing will blow over in a few weeks. It might help Dish short term by getting some attention to the hopper, but a majority of potential customers who are not on this site don't care.

 

[Teehar]

What dramatic increases in advertising? All the networks are regulated as to how much advertising they can show in any given hour.

While I don't have any facts to dispute what you say Yaz,it sure seems to me that there are more ads these days.When it takes 12-15 presses of the skip forward button for one break,that is too many in my book.

 

[Teehar]

Nobody cared about AMC, and the contract expired with them so thats why he was able to get away with it.

Pretty sure there were way more than nobody that cared about it lol. I get what your trying to say but,there was a huge backlash over AMC being dropped.