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October 27, 2005
Forbes says bloggers are the new evil-doers
Forbes has lost its mind. I hope it's temporary.
The magazine's current cover story (registration required or use the bugmenot login/password "forbesdontbug") claims that blogs "destroy brands and wreck lives. Is there any way to fight back?"
Another example for the ignominious history of "What are blogs, and why do we fear them?" journalism.
Writer Daniel Lyons admits in the article that "attack blogs are but a sliver of the rapidly expanding blogosphere," then spends 3,279 words stereotyping bloggers as "online haters" and "lynch mobs" who engage in "blood sport" to drive traffic.
As in the analog world, there's good and bad. Just this week, the NY Times reported on customer evangelist blogs, which fawn over brands and companies they love.
But Lyons takes on the qualities of the bilious, lying bloggers he "exposes" and ends up making Geraldo look reasonable.
Forbes, Forbes, Forbes... you're so much better than this.
[Hat tip: Steve Rubel]
Other blogs that reference Forbes says bloggers are the new evil-doers:
» How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Forbes from http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/index.html#112938568736465461
After all, if we marketers have learned anything over the past few years, it's that generating a fear of "evil-doers" is an excellent call to action. [Read More]
Perception is reality.
Unfortunately, Forbes has tarnished the image of ALL bloggers in the mind of some of its readers.
Noticed that Forbes doesn't have any blogs in its site?
Sounds like "old media" fear to me. I receive Forbes, Fortune, SI and others in the mail. Often It sits on the entryway table for weeks before I get to it. I get most of my information online (without a subscription). Makes me wonder why I renew every year.
Of course I fit into the 18-35yo male category.
They like to criticize what they can't control.
Ron, I was thinking the same thing the other day about my paper subscriptions....Newsweek in particular because I was thinking how long I had subscribed and how I used to look forward to reading it. Now they all just pile up.. and I am in a completely different demo that you. I agree...fear of obsolescense.
I didn't expect such fear of change from a magazine like Forbes. I’m guessing the Nov. 1905 edition of "Buggy Whips Illustrated" ran a cover story alleging that Horseless Carriages are powered by demons.
The sidebar is even worse:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1114/128sidebar.html
The advice is:
-Start fake blogs
-Pay bloggers to write nice things about you
-Write bad things about bloggers
-Threaten the blogger's ISP
-Sue the bloggers
Seems more like a diatribe against free speech rather than about blogs...
