iPod Ah, Blatant Errors in Newspaper.

[im_to_hyper]

While reading the physical version of my newspaper today ( ) I noticed some errors under the "Our View" opinion column. The title is "iPod, therefore I Am," mantra for digital age.

The first part essentially talks about the media not taking the iPod seriously when it was first released and now Apple is starting to get into videos.

Now to the erroneous paragraphs:

And Apple is now developing a cellular phone that will incorporate iPod technology, opening yet another horizon in the digital lifestyle by allowing users to transfer music to one another via phone call

A little further on:

Already, compact disc sales are plummeting as online downloads of music are increasing. In the two years since Apple introduced its music service, iTunes, cutsomers have downloaded 600 million songs at 99 cents each.
That's got the entertainment industry in a tizzy because there's no way to prevent people from sharing files. Record labels and artists don't make a dime in the deal.

Hmm... sounds to me like the author is confusing iTunes with illegal downloading. iTunes has helped out the record labels and artists who were losing money to illegal downloads. The "record labels don't make a dime" it complete BS. In fact, Apple doesn't even make a dime as it is the recording industry who takes most of the revenue.

Here is my newspaper's website: Marshfield News-Herald

and its sister newspaper, where the opinion was originally printed: Wausau Daily Herald

Please, if everyone could send some sort of e-mail to these papers to correct them I would greatly appreciate it. Here is a link for the News-Heralds "letter to the editor" submission. Letter to the Editor

EDIT: My letter to the editor:

This letter is in regards to the column entitled " 'iPod, therefore I am,' mantra of the digital age". I would like to clear up some facts for other readers of the newspaper who may have interpreted Apple as having a negative effect on the music industry when in fact the reverse is true. Yes, compact disc sales have been plummeting for five years but have since leveled off. The plummeting sales were due to illegal downloads, not iTunes. iTunes helped save the industry and the low prices of its songs lured many people to legal downloading instead of illegal ones.

Your comment that "record labels and artists don't get a dime in the deal" has no shred of truth. In fact, direct from msnbc.com which states "labels get 60 to 70 cents from each downloaded song".

I would appreciate it if you could alter your article or publish a follow-up statement of some kind which will tell how iTunes has helped the music industry;

MSNBC link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9629461/site/newsweek/

EDIT EDIT: Crap, grammatical errors. I was too agitated to proofread.

 

[chucknorris]

While reading the physical version of my newspaper today ( ) I noticed some errors under the "Our View" opinion column. The title is "iPod, therefore I Am," mantra for digital age.

The first part essentially talks about the media not taking the iPod seriously when it was first released and now Apple is starting to get into videos.

Now to the erroneous paragraphs:



A little further on:



Hmm... sounds to me like the author is confusing iTunes with illegal downloading. iTunes has helped out the record labels and artists who were losing money to illegal downloads. The "record labels don't make a dime" it complete BS. In fact, Apple doesn't even make a dime as it is the recording industry who takes most of the revenue.

Here is my newspaper's website: Marshfield News-Herald

and its sister newspaper, where the opinion was originally printed: Wausau Daily Herald

Please, if everyone could send some sort of e-mail to these papers to correct them I would greatly appreciate it.

The fact-checking is almost laughably bad. Actually, I am laughing. Yikes!

 

[steve_hill4]

Some newspapers are quite bad at fact-checking. I remember a routine by one British comedian where he read out an article about himself and almost every sentence needed correcting, (which he duely did after reading the sentence out). They even quoted him for something he never said.

As long as the readers know nothing about what the truth is, they can get away with writing whatever takes their fancy.

 

[im_to_hyper]

So, of course, as of yet I have gotten no response from them. Typical. Did anyone else send feedback to my newspaper on this to set them straight?

 

[Whyren]

Didn't Steve mention at some speech during this year that there would be a phone accessory developed for the iPod, though?

 

[EricNau]

There have been several articles in Newsweek (msnbc) about the iPod/iTunes. The most recent one I've seen was about the video iPod. They seem to report good facts about Apple.

 

[EricNau]

Here's what I sent:
"Please retract and correct the article "'iPod, therefore I am,' mantra of the digital age". As you are well aware, this is incorrect on several facts about Apple & iTunes.
First of all, record labels and artists consider itunes their "savior" because it brought people away from piracy. Second, it is because of piracy that CD sales have dropped (which is not news it's been a well known fact for the last 5 years). Lastly, it has been reported by other, more reliable, news sources (msnbc/Newsweek) that Labels and artists get about 60-70% of the $.99 that iTunes charges, so to say "Record labels and artists don't make a dime in the deal" is a lie. Furthermore, there is not an easy way to share music downloaded off iTunes, as Apple has taken numerous steps to prevent piracy, maybe you should do some research before you print an article.
The word that your newspaper is unreliable has spread nation-wide, and your readers may start to question your dependability of reporting the facts."
Hope that helps - Let me know if they ever do anything.

 

[im_to_hyper]

Hope that helps - Let me know if they ever do anything.

Well, in todays newspaper both our letters were in there in the letters to the editor section. That was it.

 

[EricNau]

Well, in todays newspaper both our letters were in there in the letters to the editor section. That was it.

My letter got in there?
If so, I'm surprised, under my info I didn't put anything true (ie: 0000 nowhere st.). I just put enough to get it sent through.

 

[im_to_hyper]

My letter got in there?
If so, I'm surprised, under my info I didn't put anything true (ie: 0000 nowhere st.). I just put enough to get it sent through.

Great... now they probably think it is me (since you and i have the same name) and now my credibility is (probably) shot with them. They mentioned they had recieved two e-mails and may possibly publish if I gave them a link or two more about the iPod.

They ended up publishing mine. Things don't get published unless you have a valid address.

 

[EricNau]

Great... now they probably think it is me (since you and i have the same name) and now my credibility is (probably) shot with them. They mentioned they had recieved two e-mails and may possibly publish if I gave them a link or two more about the iPod.

They ended up publishing mine. Things don't get published unless you have a valid address.

Give me their phone number, I'll take care of it
At the time I just didn't feel like giving an un-reliable newspaper all of my info, they'd probably sell it to someone.
Seriously though, if you are worried about your credibility, I'll e-mail the editor explaining what I did. And this time I'll use me real information, I really don't know why I didn't in the first place.

 

[im_to_hyper]

Give me their phone number, I'll take care of it
At the time I just didn't feel like giving an un-reliable newspaper all of my info, they'd probably sell it to someone.
Seriously though, if you are worried about your credibility, I'll e-mail the editor explaining what I did. And this time I'll use me real information, I really don't know why I didn't in the first place.

Ah, no problem. I don't think it will really matter in the long run

Small town newspaper, and all.

 

[EricNau]

Ah, no problem. I don't think it will really matter in the long run

Small town newspaper, and all.

There's the problem, I thought it was a "large-city" newspaper. That's also why my letter is a little pushy, with large newspapers you have to be that way before any editor will pay any attention. At the time, I just wasn't sure what they would do with my address - I didn't want it published for everyone to see, I just wanted the editor to get the point.
But really, if you want me to write a letter (this time with my address), I'd be happy to explain it to them.

 

[xyouxfailmiex]

apple imho will have a phone by next xmas

 

[maxterpiece]

i knew someone from marshfield. Know anyone w/the last name Drendel?

 

[im_to_hyper]

i knew someone from marshfield. Know anyone w/the last name Drendel?

Yeah... there is a Drendel who teaches/taught at the Middle School (former Junior High)

There's the problem, I thought it was a "large-city" newspaper. That's also why my letter is a little pushy, with large newspapers you have to be that way before any editor will pay any attention. At the time, I just wasn't sure what they would do with my address - I didn't want it published for everyone to see, I just wanted the editor to get the point.
But really, if you want me to write a letter (this time with my address), I'd be happy to explain it to them.

Nah, I think it should be OK, they may just get more suspicious if you said "no, really, this IS NOT Eric (Mylastnamehere)." Its no big deal, mine was published, so we are good to go. No problem, really.

 

[rdhazrd]

I should have a friend of mine who owns a shop a couple blocks from them give them a call, he owns Simply Mac.

 

[im_to_hyper]

I should have a friend of mine who owns a shop a couple blocks from them give them a call, he owns Simply Mac.

SWEET! That's where I go all the time when I need something Apple-ish worked on! You basing your location on mine? If so, you from Pittsville then?

 

[iMeowbot]

Didn't Steve mention at some speech during this year that there would be a phone accessory developed for the iPod, though?

There were some advance mentions of the ROKR phone, is that what you might be thinking about?

Ed Zander at Moto did go on the record that he thinks Apple will release their own phone at some point.

 

[im_to_hyper]

There were some advance mentions of the ROKR phone, is that what you might be thinking about?

Ed Zander at Moto did go on the record that he thinks Apple will release their own phone at some point.

Yes, but speculating that a company may release something is much different from reporting it as fact. It is like saying that next year Ford's entire line-up will be hybrid cars or be fuel-cell based since that is an obvious move they should be making.

Yes, it would be nice, but no, its not fact. I have read the "educated guessing" about iPhones. Then again, I have also read articles about space elevators and conferences relating to space elevators.

 

[rdhazrd]

SWEET! That's where I go all the time when I need something Apple-ish worked on! You basing your location on mine? If so, you from Pittsville then?

What makes you think Pittsville? Why not Stratford, Arpin, Vesper, or the other 100's of small towns around these parts?????
But ya, Pittsville