Gizmodo’s journalistic integrity
Instead of publishing a retraction, just change your whole post and don’t acknowledge your mistake!
Original post content:
If you thought that whole spiel Walmart gave about ditching DRM sounded too good to be true, you’d be right this time around. The world’s largest retailer has decided to maintain its digital rights management servers for the present time “based on feedback from [its] customers.” No joke—that’s what they said. Who exactly are these customers? Do you know anybody in your life who’s ever told you “I really hate being able to play the music I downloaded on multiple platforms?”
Oh man! Walmart is re-enabling DRM and not gonna do DRM free sales? That’s weird… Let’s read the quote.
From: Walmart Digital Music
Date: October 9, 2008 11:03:39 PM CDT
Subject: UPDATE: Important Information About Your Digital Music PurchasesNOTE: This is a follow-up to our email titled “Important Information About Your Digital Music Purchases” from 9/26/08.
Based on feedback from our customers, we have decided to maintain our digital rights management (DRM) servers for the present time. What this means to you is that our existing service continues and there is no action required on your part. Our customer service team will continue to assist with DRM issues for protected windows media audio (WMA) files purchased from Walmart.com.
While our customer support team is available to assist you with any issues, we continue to recommend that you back up your songs by burning them to a recordable audio CD. By backing up your songs, you insure access to them from any personal computer at any time in the future.
We appreciate your support and patience as we work to provide the best service possible to you. As we move forward with our 100% MP3 store, we’ll continue to update you with key decisions regarding our service and your account via email.
Thank you for using Walmart MP3 Music Downloads.
The Walmart Digital Music Team
Erm, “as we move forward with our 100% MP3 store”? That sounds … A LOT DIFFERENT THAN GOING DRM ONLY! Too bad I actually read the message (and so did the commenters who called her out on this, they have not yet been deleted). I contacted Editorial Director Brian Lam about this via e-mail:
Hello Brian,
You might want to reconsider having Elaine Chow on staff. There’s a story she posted where all the commenters have corrected her, and did so with a simple cursory glance at the story, which she somehow missed.
Here’s the link:
http://gizmodo.com/5061491/walmart-changes-mind-on-drm-keeps-servers-running
And here’s what she said (not including the press release):
> If you thought that whole spiel Walmart gave about ditching DRM sounded too good to be true, you’d be right this time around. The world’s largest retailer has decided to maintain its digital rights management servers for the present time “based on feedback from [its] customers.” No joke—that’s what they said. Who exactly are these customers? Do you know anybody in your life who’s ever told you “I really hate being able to play the music I downloaded on multiple platforms?”
Yes, that’s right, she totally misread the article. Wal-Mart is leaving the DRM servers up for customers who PREVIOUSLY bought DRM’d songs. It sounds like I can answer her second question, yes, I know someone who’s told me “I really hate being able to play the music I downloaded.”, as she’s apparently quite upset that in addition to removing DRM from future song sales, Wal-Mart will be leaving their servers up so that customers can play music they previously purchased. Quite a long paragraph stating “I do not have the ability to comprehend what I read.”
As a long-time reader and RSS subscriber, I hope I don’t have to see such poor journalism in the future.
Thanks,
Tom
I wasn’t lying, I subscribe to their feed, and I was disappointed. I have not received a response. However, I continually checked to see if Gizmodo acknowledged their mistake, and they didn’t, just edited it to say something completely different:
When Walmart made a special effort to remind us why DRM’d music should always be avoided by shutting down their authentication servers, the response must have been deafening. The world’s largest retailer has decided to maintain its digital rights management servers for the present time “based on feedback from [its] customers,” otherwise known as “the interminable wrath of the internet.” I’m guessing a flood of emails with compelling arguments like “don’t destroy my legally purchased music” and “I hate you” had something to do with the decision.
Dear Gawker Media,
Stop sucking.
- MBILF
