McGraw-Hill Tossed From iPad Media Event After Premature Confirmation?

[MacRumors]

On Tuesday, less than 24 hours before Apple's media event to introduce the iPad, publishing giant McGraw-Hill's CEO Terry McGraw confirmed that Apple would be introducing a tablet at the event. McGraw also confirmed earlier reports that Apple and McGraw-Hill had been working closely together on e-books, particularly e-textbooks, for the device.

McGraw-Hill's content was, however, nowhere to be found in Apple's presentation at the media event, and VentureBeat reports that Apple CEO Steve Jobs had immediately removed McGraw-Hill from the presentation after McGraw's disclosure on CNBC.

McGraw-Hill is bigger than most of the publishers on this slide. But insiders say as soon as Terry shot his mouth off on CNBC, Jobs had the company cut from the presentation. We won't know for a few weeks if McGraw was only wrist-slapped, or if he's been thrown out of the game.

The move is reminiscent of Jobs' reaction after a leak by graphics card manufacturer ATI just prior to Macworld San Francisco 2000 that revealed Apple's plans to introduce new iMac and Power Mac models using the company's graphics cards. In that case, Jobs reportedly pulled all mention of ATI from his presentation at the last minute, although the products obviously continued to ship with ATI products inside.

Article Link: McGraw-Hill Tossed From iPad Media Event After Premature Confirmation?

 

[Consultant]

Yeah it's expected.

Loose lips sink ships

 

[BryanLyle]

I hope this is true. If these companies want to play with Apple, they need to understand the rules. KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

 

[REM314]

And thats why confidentiality agreements exist.

 

[MarlboroLite]

probably just a slap on the wrist...if McGraw-Hill is as big a publisher as they apparently are, Apple obviously wants their content on the store...it would be pretty stupid to block them over a "leak" that wasn't really a leak--everyone knew it would be a tablet...every newspaper or media article talking about the event mentioned that it would be a tablet.

 

[Consultant]

I hope this is true. If these companies want to play with Apple, they need to understand the rules. KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

Pretty much. Plus, he's in the publishing indusry, so he should be able to read NDA / embargo. (or maybe not)

 

[Detlev]

If it is true, good for Steve.

Then again, maybe Terry thought he was speaking in confidentiality. You know, just between you and me.

 

[jared_kipe]

I cringed as that CEO started talking about it.

 

[agkm800]

So what the company name is not on the screen. Big deal.

Apple can't ditch the biggest publisher. They need each other.

 

[gglockner]

Apple is not stupid. They won't remove McGraw Hill content because it will produce lucrative commissions for Apple. But it makes sense that Steve Jobs removed their logo from the presentation as a gesture.

 

[RyanR.]

I laughed when I saw that slide yesterday... news flash: don't steal Steve's thunder...

Modbook- here I come

 

[pirateyarrr]

Who gives a crap. McGraw probably made more people aware of the Apple "event" than otherwise would have. The books from McGraw-Hill will still be included. Total non-story except in the extreme-Apple-fan universe.

 

[dXTC]

Yeah it's expected.

Loose lips sink ships

And snitches get stitches.

 

[fishmd]

I wondered about this as well. And good for Steve that he removed them from the presentation. However, they better not have just done away with the deal as this would really hurt Apple more than McGraw Hill. Apple really needs them for the text book side of things if they want to make this the best e-book reader device.

 

[kaisdaddy]

True, but guess where we are?

Who gives a crap. McGraw probably made more people aware of the Apple "event" than otherwise would have. The books from McGraw-Hill will still be included. Total non-story except in the extreme-Apple-fan universe.

Welcome to the extreme-Apple-fan universe!

 

[Bevz]

No controlled leak then, he really was just an idiot! Who'd have thunk it...

 

[amac4me]

There would have to be a legal foundation for Apple to drop them (if indeed Apple canned the deal). McGraw-Hill's CEO really dropped the ball (uh ... distribution deal?) on this one.

As I watched the CNBC clip the day prior to the event, I couldn't help but come away with a feeling that the CEO was simply enjoying his little speech about the iPad, what he knew about the device, and McGraw's-Hill's content that would be available. He should have realized that Erin Burnett baited him to get him to reveal information.

If I were an investor or board member of McGraw-Hil, I would question how his actions have potentially undermined the company's competitive position in the industry.

 

[Sabenth]

Who gives a crap. McGraw probably made more people aware of the Apple "event" than otherwise would have. The books from McGraw-Hill will still be included. Total non-story except in the extreme-Apple-fan universe.

you must be joking the world and its wife new about this event cause it was on every flipin news network going and whats more i still wont buy this over sized ipod. I would be intrested to know if the ibook store is going to come to itunes for mac and pc though .

 

[Airforcekid]

They won't drop them if they want in the education sector!

 

[alexk82]

i knew it

after seeing that other post about him confirming the tablet before Wed, i knew something would happen to the guy. you don't mess with steve jobs

 

[chappy87]

Not such a "controlled leak" then.

Seriously, Steve needs to grow up. Throwing his toys out of the pram for no reason other than we were told all we knew anyway just before he took to the stage. Perspective, please.

 

[Sweetfeld28]

Yeah that'll leave a mark. Maybe other companies will learn, maybe not. This sort of thing will always happen, you can't control everything.

 

[je_wallace]

Really? And that's a surprise because?

Really? And that's a surprise because?

No joke.

Bob, when Steve says don't say anything...he MEANS don't say anything...bet McGraw-Hill's looking for a new CEO today.

 

[Revelation78]

They will finally be mentioned right before the release of the iPad as a form of "punishment." Apple wouldn't permanently ban them from the iPad.

 

[andiwm2003]

i guess the ceo doesn't care about being on that slide anyway. the contracts for publishing certainly have been signed already and won't be cancelled. this is just to satisfy steve's big ego.