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In Reply to: Re: I keep saying the same thing over and over again, but nobody seems to care. posted by TomLarson on February 19, 2007 at 07:51:16:
I really don't get it either. I agree with you. As I said below, the level of indignation and outrage does not calibrate with the whispers and secrecy that follow it. It kind of dulls the senses to the point where one is forced not to care one way or the other.
Follow Ups:
Unlike some civilian inmates here who say they're gonna abruptly cancel their subscriptions, I see no reason to come to any conclusion at all. No names, no rebuttal or statement from the other "U.S. magazine", no statement from the cable maker. Can Charles or anyone from S'phile even state with certainty that no action -- other than reimbursing the cable manufacturer -- was taken by the mag the reviewer works(ed) for? IMO this should have been kept "inside" until ALL the facts could be ascertained and stated publicly without claiming "legal issues" prevent doing so.
> No names, no rebuttal or statement from the other "U.S. magazine",
> no statement from the cable maker.
Actually, the cable "maker" was telling all and sundry about what had
happened at the recent CES.
> Can Charles or anyone from S'phile even state with certainty that no
> action -- other than reimbursing the cable manufacturer -- was taken
> by the mag the reviewer works(ed) for?
At CES, the reviewer concerned told anyone who would listen that it
was his friend who had sold the cables, not him. The manufacturer
concerned is the one who is telling people that he was reimbursed by
the publisher. But whether or not the reviewer is still working for
the magazine in question, that remains to be seen.
Regarding the anonymity, I regret that this is necessary. I wait to
see if the magazine's editor is going to publicly address this matter.
My point is that according to the tale told by the aggrieved
manufacturer, there appears to be a possible breach of ethics by a
writer for a magazine not Stereophile. Yet contrary to the endless
accusations of improper behavor that are leveled at Stereophile on
a continuous basis without any basis in fact, all you people are
bending over backward not to accuse this other magazine of anything
amiss. It seems that a double standard is in operation here.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile
"...all you people are bending over backward not to accuse this magazine of anything amiss. It seems that a double standard is in operation here."
I don't think you were speaking of my posts, as I have never accused Stereophile or any other magazine of any sort of wrongdoing, here or elsewhere. In fact the generous way you and your writers make yourself available here has always pleased and amazed me. I was merely wondering why no one, while raising the hue and cry, will name mames, and, while I appreciate that you say you "regret" that you cannot do so, it will remain a mystery to me why not.
Regards,
I, too, know the names of the cable company and the reviewer. However, I was not party to the transaction, nor was anyone else here. It would be morally and legally inappropriate, if not irresponsible, to comment on what attorneys refer to as "facts not in evidence". Some of what we say on a public forum could turn out to be, at the very least, partially incorrect. Such misinformation could further damage reputations. Rumor and innuendo are rampant, the townspeople are carrying pitchforks and torches, and one magazine is already suffering financially to some degree. Right or wrong, it's their legal and ethical problem to deal with.Regarding disclosure, it is clearly the responsibility and right of the participants to shed light upon these matters, if they choose to do so. We may all be holding our breath for a very long time. Again, we were not direct parties to the transaction.
what color is the "audio wall"?
I don't believe I have ever posted anything remotely resembling an accusation of unethical or dishonest behavior at S'phile. I disagree with some of your policies but I've never claimed you were dishonest or shady.I asked "Can Charles or anyone from S'phile even state with certainty that no action -- other than reimbursing the cable manufacturer -- was taken by the mag the reviewer works(ed) for?"
So far neither you, Charles, nor anyone else seems to know. If the guy has already been fired then what reason is there to besmurch the mag? If he isn't fired I'd like to hear the rationale for that before I conclude the mag's ethics are egregiously lacking -- which may *be* my conclusion in the end. Do you know that in fact no action will be taken by the mag the reviewer works for?
I would have said the same things were it S'phile, and fail to see a double standard.
< < If the guy has already been fired then what reason is there to besmurch the mag? > >This issue first came to light four or five months ago. (Sorry I can't be more precise, I was in the hospital under heavy medication and don't recall the exact dates.) Yet the latest issue still has articles by the reviewer and still lists his name on the masthead.
In the meantime, there has been enough time for Stereophile to hear about the events (obviously well after the other magazine found out) and write and publish editorials pertaining to this type of behavior. There has also been enough time for the cable manufacturer to be reimbursed.
I suppose that it's possible that there has been some "double-secret probation" type of punishment that has occurred. But as JA pointed out, the cable manufacturer has been open with other industry members about the happenings and he hasn't been given any indication that any other action has taken place.
I personally expect that things will be rectified eventually, but am also disappointed that it is taking this long. However, I understand that there are practical considerations at work as well. To give an example (and not trying to start a fire here, so don't be offended if you support Bush), there are those who believe that Bush 43 has committed several impeachable offenses. However, they are reluctant to make formal charges because (if successful) the successor would be equally guilty. So sometimes a different strategy is called for. Perhaps some similar strategizing is taking place at the other magazine, I don't really know.
z
nt
...is dead.
some might say that the precipitous offing of Saddam Hussein freed him (his legacy) from the stain of far greater crimes against humanity, he *and* his accomplices that is.
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher
Unless the mag's readership is somehow kept in the dark about this episode, I don't know how they could avoid getting rid of the guy. Even if they succeeded in keeping the subscribers ignorant, aren't manufacturers gonna shy away from giving them review samples and ad $$, as have you?BTW -- no danger of offending me with that example of impeachment.
Well, not me re double standard. I would dump the other mag in a moment if I knew for sure what mag it was. I have to guess it's TAS but that could be a bad guess. What I object to is the lack of knowledge on it. I dont go to ces I dont go to your hifi show (although it's a goal) but I do do what? Subscribe (faithfully and long term) to your mag. So I rely on it in some sense for info. What I get on the current topic is that it aint you babe...ok. Who is it? That's the unanswered question. There aren't too many print rags out there...no one here (I gather) reads sensible sound. Like someone above said, hifi+ and TAS are the same. Inner Ear is from Canada and we know Canadians are honest! Positive Feedback isn't print and its editor chimes in, so it's not him. If it were sound and vision no one would care. I dont see Hansen ads in TAS the last couple of months I looked at. So I conclude it's TAS. Other readers of these posts are making their own conclusions and maybe acting on them--ie canceling subscriptions etc. (And even if I had gone to ces, no one would have spoken to me, let alone confided in me!).
"My point is that according to the tale told by the aggrieved
manufacturer, there appears to be a possible breach of ethics by a
writer for a magazine not Stereophile. Yet contrary to the endless
accusations of improper behavor that are leveled at Stereophile on
a continuous basis without any basis in fact, all you people are
bending over backward not to accuse this other magazine of anything
amiss. It seems that a double standard is in operation here."My Gawd!
A "possible breach of ethics by a writer for a magazine not Stereophile" occurs and, if the accounts here are reliable, Stereophile responds with *two* articles in the March edition, and at least one of its reviewers is ranting, albeit speaking for himself only, like Don Quixote ready to take on the ills of the world!
Wow! And if one were to interpret this as grand standing and opportunism, what?, you'll find you whining doubly about a "double standard"?
What a spectacle!
From the tenor of the 'insider' posts, it seems to me like the facts are clear. But you are right...it's all inuendo and hearsay and gossip at this point AND will lead some (see post above re strategy for figuring it out--which I think is an 'ok' strategy) to cancel subscriptions "in error". But it also seems to me like the fun of being 'in the know' is just too irresistable for those in that position to either keep quiet or proclaim their fact finding finished and publish the results.
Yes, and this 'insider' mentality, when broadened to include various types of players in and around the industry, is a sign of how sick the industry really is.
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