Gold mine or wasteland?
Rick Nelson, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 6/1/2001
New product information that appears in Test & Measurement World (p. 53) or on www.tmworld.com (or, for that matter, in any trade publication or Web site) often originates from press releases. As the ultimate target of these releases, you should understand how the process works and how the Internet, paradoxically, is having an insidious effect on the quality of published technical information, turning an information gold mine into a wasteland.
Press releases generally begin with a statement like the nearby sample, which is only a slight exaggeration—it’s not uncommon for us to have to call to find out whether the release refers to hardware, software, or a combination of the two, and often the editorial contact listed on the release doesn’t know.
Press releases have always contained overwrought prose. But when a release required a first-class postage stamp, senders made some effort to ensure the envelope containing it also contained information readers would find useful. A release sent to The Wall Street Journal might highlight potential profits from the new product, while a release sent to Test & Measurement World might emphasize technical specs like bandwidth and accuracy.
With one-button mass e-mailing, though, that refinement is vanishing. Information is degenerating to a lowest common denominator of meaningless hype that writers hope will get published in as many places as possible—generating buzz, not furthering knowledge.
Unfortunately, the approach is working. You’ll find unedited, unexpurgated press releases reproduced on Web sites ranging from The Wall Street Journal’s interactive edition (www.wsj.com) to various trade-press Web sites, maintained by our parent company and competitors.
If you’re looking for unedited PR, you can go to services such as www.prnewswire.com or www.internetwire.com. When you turn to an independent online or print publication, however, you should insist on concise edited information with the hype removed and the technical information restored. If we aren’t doing the job for you in that respect, let us know. If other publications aren’t, let them know.
Better yet, let the companies that originate this drivel know that you’re not interested in buying an “innovative, leading-edge solution ensuring the highest quality of experience for the new millennium.” Tell them you’ll only buy the hardware and software described with the quantitative specs you need to get the job done. T&MW
