Getting the inside scoop on any Apple products and upcoming news is a big thing for any newspaper or blog. Since the company is notoriously stingy with any details those lucky individuals permitted to have tidbits of information really relish in their fortune. One paper, the ever popular Wall Street Journal, has usually been on good terms with Apple. With continuous reports and updates on Apple on the iEconomy section it came as a shock when things turned sour between Apple and the New York Times, Washington Post reports.
Not too long ago Jessica Vascellaro, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was able to score an exclusive interview with Tim Cook, Apple’s Chief Executive. The interview shed light on how Apple was going to take the ever popular functionality of the iPhones and integrate it with boxes. “We see that people are in love with a lot of apps and functionality here. Anywhere where that makes sense, we are going to move that over to Mac”, Cook said in the interview. This interview was a huge hit for the New York Times and all was well between Apple and the Wall Street Journal until a new story was published.
The story that really severed a lot of ties between Apple and the Wall Street Journal was an explosive report on the conditions of China workers that were employed at a factory making Apple products. The post, which was extensively detailed, had accounts of multiple workers (some well underage) that were working in harsh and brutal conditions. Employees were forced to work excessive amounts of overtime and often times they would work every day of the week. The dorms that they lived in were overcrowded and they were forced to work so long that their legs would swell up from excessive standing.
On top of the horrific conditions that the workers were subjected to Apple’s suppliers have also disposed of hazardous waste improperly and falsified reports to cover their tracks. The people who did the investigations on the suppliers were done by independent and reliable monitors within China.
This story done on the Apple facility enraged thousands and shed light on a much darker and more sinister light on Apple. In retaliation Apple, like some pouting child who just got caught, decided to give New York Times the silent treatment.
This deliberate shunning of information to the Wall Street Journal came in the form of an exclusive interview of Philip Schiller (Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing). Instead of New York Times getting the scoop like they normally do, Apple deliberately ignored them and gave the exclusive interview to a blogger named John Gruber who writes for the Daring Fireball.
The interview was done in Manhattan in New York Times’ “backyard” and a source at the renowned journal stated that they heard from some people inside Apple that “you guys are going to get less access based on the iEconomy series.”
This power play on Apple is just a tantrum and Apple should own up to their mistakes rather than punish others for finding them.
