06.04.13
Gemini version available ♊︎Microsoft Bloggers Run ZDNet
ZDNet in a nutshell: Microsoft PR and Microsoft censorship
Summary: ZDNet’s sponsor Microsoft has essentially managed to turn this tabloid into its de facto fan press, promoting Microsoft, demonising Microsoft’s rivals, and pretending to be a news outlet by withholding disclosures
The influence of Microsoft does not vanish when one leaves Microsoft. Sinofsky is currently teaching Harvard students, having engaged in illegal business practices in Microsoft. Other Microsoft executives who teach at business schools are delivering anti-GPL lessons, as we demonstrated before (e.g. Mundie). What does this teach tomorrow’s business leaders? That crime is an acceptable business model?
Over at ZDNet (part of CBS), Vista 8 is becoming some kind of a prestigious item. People whose whole livelihood is Microsoft and Windows write praises of Vista 8 all the time. There is a whole section dedicated just to this product brand, so it is safe to assume either corruption or sponsored (by Microsoft) editorial decisions.
“By letting this entryism be, ZDNet has become a Microsoft PR outlet…”Watch the latest Microsoft Zack spin (former Microsoft staff). He is dismantled by Pogson, but why should that be published in the first place? Former Microsoft staff covering Microsoft matters? In addition to Ed Bott, Microsoft Jack, Mary Jo Foley, and Perlow, current Microsoft staff?
By letting this entryism be, ZDNet has become a Microsoft PR outlet, leaving just the underfunded Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols to counter all the Microsoft PR after they fired Dana Blankenhorn and other FOSS bloggers got repressed or left.
“They even try to intervene in antitrust cases by misrepresenting the facts and neglecting took mention their ties to Microsoft.”The latest news from Vaughan-Nichols says that “Microsoft can only hope that its re-invention of Windows 8, Windows 8.1 aka Blue, works because currently stats indicate Windows 8 lags behind even Vista’s dismal market numbers.”
Don’t worry. Half a dozen Microsoft people in ZDNet sure can wash that away with a shower of Microsoft press releases and talking points. We gave many examples before. They even try to intervene in antitrust cases by misrepresenting the facts and neglecting took mention their ties to Microsoft.
ZDNet is a good example of how yellow journalism gets implemented. Treat with great caution. At ZDNet, Microsoft PR is being thrown around as routinely as monkeys fling their faeces. █
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