According to a nice, long Wall Street Journal feature, we tech journalists are no better than Armstrong Williams when it comes to doing it for cash.
In November, Child magazine’s Technology Editor James Oppenheim appeared on a local television show in Austin, Texas, and reviewed educational gadgets and toys. He praised “My ABC’s Picture Book,” a personalized photo album from Eastman Kodak Co. … There was one detail the audience didn’t know: Kodak paid Mr. Oppenheim to mention the photo album, according to the company and Mr. Oppenheim.
Apparently, there is a shadowy organization that secretly hires journalists to write about cool gear and broadcast about events like CES on behalf of specific manufacturers. If anyone out there knows how to get in touch with this organization, I am willing to go under cover.
How Companies Pay TV Experts for On-Air Product Mentions [WSJ]
