FC: Technology reporter defends PressBlaster spam software

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Personally, I may not disagree that much with Margie, but I would say that 
sending me articles on topics I don't write about and have never written 
about -- something that PressBlaster makes easy -- *is* an abuse of my 
publicly available professional email address. (Do I really want press 
releases about the new 450-hp John Deere 9520 Tractor?) It's easy for 
journalists' inboxes to get clogged with a deluge of press releases, and I 
already get over 1,000 email messages a day.

My instructions for PR types are here:
http://www.mccullagh.org/about/contact.html

Previous Politech message:
http://www.politechbot.com/p-03105.html

-Declan

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Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 10:09:50 -0800
From: Margie Wylie <margie.wylie () newhouse com>
Subject: Re: FC: Note to journalists: Warning about PressBlaster spam
In-reply-to: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0202031856570.12231-100000 () well com>
To: declan () well com

I'm going to risk my life here by defending "press blaster."

Please, before you scorch me, read on.

As "the press" it's our job, nay, our duty to take press releases and tips 
from everyone so inclined to send them.

With this territory comes the inane, the irrelevant, the goofy, and, yes, 
my favorite, the cranks.

I am dismayed by the attitude so prevalent these days among reporters that 
people who "can't write a press release" have no business contacting them. 
I am at loss to explain this attitude, but it does seem to be the kind 
thinking that gets us labeled as an "elite" of corporate lapdogs who are 
fed their stories by a professional corps of spinmiesters.

A free press is no use without free access to it.

I hate Spam as much as the next guy, but as long as someone is really 
sending me a press release (even a bulk e-mail press release) and not 
trying to sell me an "amazing new product" or a "secret investment tool," 
it seems to me that that is a legitimate use of my publicly available 
professional e-mail address.

Let the flames fly.

Margie

    ============================================================
   / Margie Wylie            /  +1 415.647.5287 Phone          /
  / National Correspondent  /  +1 415.637.5003 Cell           /
 / Newhouse News Service   /  +1 415.647.5297 Fax            /
/ http://www.newhouse.com / cyberspace and technology beat  /
===========================================================




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