Technology reviews by website CNET have long been respected for their thoroughness and integrity, but that reputation has come under scrutiny after a top reporter quit over what he says is editorial interference by its parent company, CBS Corp.
The short version is this: CNET reporters selected a Dish Network device as the best home theater product of last week's Consumer Electronics Show. CBS, which is currently involved in a legal battle with Dish Network, made CNET reporters choose another best home theater product.
2. Yesterday afternoon, the Atlantic ran a large advertisement for the Church of Scientology, with only a small tag at the top that read "SPONSOR CONTENT" to indicate that it was any different than other Atlantic content. The outcry online was so fast and so scathing that the Atlantic pulled the advertorial within hours. The notice on the former location of the Scientology page now reads, in full:
We have temporarily suspended this advertising campaign pending a review of our policies that govern sponsor content and subsequent comment threads.
If you missed it, Slate has a screenshot of the whole article, as well as The Atlantic's longer apology for running the advertorial.
It's been a shitty week for journalism, and it's only Tuesday! We all know that journalism is dying—journalists tell us so, all the time—but the only question I have is: Who is making journalism more dead?
UPDATE 12:49 PM: As always, The Onion wins: "SPONSORED: The Taliban Is A Vibrant And Thriving Political Movement."
