You might not believe it, but even after all these years the writers and photographers who produce the content on Dpreview.com still get excited about new cameras, and biting our tongues when we've got something juicy to share is hard enough without seeing the value of what we're preparing gradually watered down as the leaks turn from a trickle into a tide. It's times like that when we're seriously tempted to abandon the embargo and bust the NDA like everyone else. But hey, that's the path we've chosen to follow, and leaving wouldn't be something we'd consider anytime soon. Our only real beef is that the manufacturers themselves could do a lot to improve the situation by taking real steps to address the embargo breakers and to improve their internal security, but it seems unlikely that will happen, and it seems increasingly likely that every major announcement is going to be leaked ahead of time. Just not by us.
From trickles to tides: leaks and rumors
by
Simon Joinson
on
June 18, 2009
|
Comments
(3)
|
TrackBack
(0)
The deluge of leaked information ahead of this week's official announcement of the Olympus E-P1 led to several forums posters asking us why we were ignoring this important information and how it was that small, low traffic websites and gadget blogs had the scoop on a site like Dpreview. Of course the the truth is that they didn't; we had already used the camera and were in the middle of producing an in-depth preview article for publication at the moment the official embargo was lifted.
So why don't we report on rumors or even comment on leaks? It's certainly not just because we've signed an NDA (legally binding non-disclosure agreement); so has everyone else who is given access to the information ahead of the embargo, and you don't see them hauled through the courts for breaking them. And besides, the NDAs are usually pretty much null and void once the information is in the public domain.
No, the reason we don't break embargos is because we believe - we know - that sticking to them even when every scrap of information regarding a new product has been leaked means that we are amongst the few major online publications that manufacturers know then can trust with sensitive information. For us to report on leaked information when we're in possession of the full facts under NDA (as many publications do) wouldn't just be disingenuous, it would seriously damage the relationships built up with the manufacturers at a every level from the local sales office to the corporate headquarters in Tokyo or Osaka.
And before you start jumping up and down shouting about how our primary responsibility is to our readers, stop and think about what we - and you - have to gain by being trusted with advance information. the visible stuff is obvious; you get full in-hand previews (and often sample galleries, interviews with senior executives, additional technical information) on the day of launch, but there's a 'behind the scenes' benefit to this too. We get access to high level decision-makers within the camera manufacturers and get to see new products very early in the design process. This allows us to give feedback and get answers based on the concerns of our readers concerns and needs that few other publications can dream of. As we monitor the forums daily (and often solicit opinions when we're meeting with anyone important) we are in a unique position to be able to act as a conduit between the people that make cameras, and the people that use them and - in a small way - this can, and does, influence product development. None of this would be possible if we didn't respect the manufacturers' embargos.
Not that it's always easy taking a principled stand (albeit one that comes with an ulterior motive or two). It's painful to see all the exciting stuff you've prepared but can't publish being leaked around the globe (though it can also be amusing to see the misinformation gradually turning from hypothesis to hard fact as it get passed, chinese-whisper style, around the internets). It's even more frustrating when the leaks appear to originate inside the manufacturers themselves, when the flow of information seems orchestrated to create the maximum impact in the run-up to the official launch.
So next time you wonder why we've not mentioned that new camera you keep hearing about, remember that we won't just know about it, we'll almost certainly have one already and be working our collective asses off to ensure we have the most comprehensive information possible the moment the embargo lifts.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a0105359858e3970b01157030e667970c
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference From trickles to tides: leaks and rumors:
Comments
The comments to this entry are closed.
I agree completely with the sentiments of the article that manufacturers trust is quintessential.
I'd like to see this 'trust' that dpreview has, be extended to allowing dpreview early enough releases of products so that the reviews don't come out months after the release of the product as is the current situation. The delay limits the benefit of this website to the early-adopter market, which is the market segment that is most excited by all the news and reviews ie: your average dpreview reader.
So I'm glad that dpreview has a noble policy toward leaked material, but I'd like to see the benefits of this extended to the readers more.
Posted by: domwills | 18 Jun 2009 11:53:03
Simon Joinson writes:
> seeing the value of what we're preparing gradually watered down as the leaks turn from a trickle into a tide
Disagree: The bolt-from-the-blue aspect of your new material may be watered down but its *value* is actually enhanced. And that's not a trivial distinction:
To use the latest example of this phenomenon, the E-P1 is almost exactly the camera I've been waiting years for. And to judge by the reports of the number of pre-orders it's already received, I'm far from being alone in that. Following those increasingly detailed rumours (or carefully calculated Olympus' tease campaign?) was an exciting trip that helped pass the seemingly endless time until D-Day. Reading the official announcement from Olympus and the DPR preview was by far the climax of the whole show. Learning which rumours were confirmed and which proved false turned reading through your beautifully written 12 pager from the usual pleasant experience into one of page-turning excitement. In fact, I had to go back to read it a second time to make sure I hadn't missed anything.
What you might want to do is consider taking a more ... Olympian ... attitude during the build-up phase and simply forbid yourself following those rumour threads. Ultimately, after all, they're at best sound and fury signifying nothing, and at worst a tale told by an idiot. Instead, pocket the time that would have swallowed, then after the announcement follow the good example of user JohnCPentax from after the K-7 debut: Start a thread on the appropriate forum to take and respond to usage questions in as close to real time as practical.
Posted by: daleX | 18 Jun 2009 15:12:11
I believe most readers around here understand that, and I've got used to search elsewhere for rumors and such, then come here on the announcement day for the "Official" information. For rumors we have the forums, and for dependable information there's the announcements and reviews. Still, I believe there's something missing in dpreview, which I hoped it would be addressed on this blog (it wasn't) and that's your personal opinion. The reviews should be as impartial as possible (and, for the most part, I believe they are), but there should also be somewhere for the staff to freely express their (biased) opinion as photographers and users of the latest gear. You never really express how you feel about a piece of equipment. I'm not saying you should go as far as some sites go and have a section for the "Editor's picks", which are rather useless, usually outdated and highly controversial. I just think you should state your opinion more often about the equipment on your possession right here on this blog. A blog should be filled with rants, controversial statements, and subjective, biased opinions. Everything posted here goes (at least should) unpunished.
Posted by: pedrojoper | 20 Jun 2009 18:28:30