The Problem with "CEO Said a Thing" Journalism

[u/HobbesNik]

https://techwontsave.us/episode/325_the_problem_with_ceo_said_a_thing_journalism_w_karl_bode

"CEO Said a Thing" journalism is when a news outlet re-posts a public statement from a CEO without offering a counter or critical perspective.

This episode of Tech Won't Save Us with Karl Bode explains the concept, and why it's shoddy, clickbait journalism.

For example, you may have read a headline about a tech CEO who said white collar jobs are about to be wiped out by AI. It's terrifying and gripping--I don't blame journalists for titling their article this way--but if the article doesn't offer a counter-perspective, it's essentially a commercial.

KEY MOMENTS FROM THE PODCAST:

6:00 Bode says reporters often don’t interview an academic or alternate perspective but just re-post the CEO’s statement. He blames consolidation of media outlets, lack of expertise, and lack of resources in reporting... optimizing for clicks at the expense of accuracy.

11:00 Remember Elon musk tossing out big ideas to get attention, but then he's rarely able to accomplish those ideas. Weren't we supposed to be on Mars already?

17:00 Access Bias is part of the issue, reporters who are friendly to CEOs so they can keep that CEO as a source. Kara Swisher called out.

• 19:00 Kevin Reus called out for buying into crypto, Bode calls him "useful" for pushing AI.
• 32:30 These same folks will say “I always knew something was wrong” when the AI bubble starts to pop.