Retraction & Apology

Friday, January 9, 1998 by Dave Winer.

OK I'm going to eat some words now.

Yesterday in Affirmative Action I said "I know that a good reporter doesn't make deals. To have the job that [Bruce Francis, a reporter at CNBC] has, he has to subscribe to a general journalist ethic that says no deals."

That was incorrect. We could discuss the ethics, but in fact, reporters make deals with newsworthy people all the time.

I apologize to DaveNet readers, and to Mr. Jobs and Mr. Francis for adding confusion to an already confusing situation.

Comments 

I wanted to hear the rest of the interview. I heard Apple's orchestrated stage show earlier on Tuesday. As a developer with a lot invested in the Mac platform, I wanted to hear the leader of the Mac market take the high road, and accept questions without orchestration.

I thought he was doing that pretty well until he walked out. I wish Jobs could have found a way to not question Francis's integrity. A polite but firm "let's move on" is totally OK. It would have been a stronger statement. It would have given me more confidence in him and in the future direction of Apple.

Dave Winer

PS: Thanks for all the thoughtful email I got on this. No flames. Makes it easier to hear.