Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Apple
McCracken returns as PC World editor in chief
Last week we mentioned the resignation of PC World editor in chief, Harry McCracken who seemed to have quit because PC World (and former Macworld) CEO Colin Crawford canned a story on "10 Things We Hate About Apple." In the brouhaha that followed the canned story finally came out (revealing not much substance to speak of), and now finally the other shoe has dropped. PC World is itself reporting that McCracken is returning to PC World as "vice-president, editor in chief" and Crawford will leave as PC World CEO to rejoin parent company IDG "as executive vice president, online." IDG is presently undertaking a search for a new CEO to lead PC World and Macworld.So the story has a happy ending for McCracken and probably the right thing was done in the end. I'm sure everyone at IDG, PC World, and Macworld is just glad this thing is over.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tim said 12:07PM on 5-10-2007
pre-reorganization publicity stunt by a sleazy publication?
since mac addicts demise, we REALLY need a new mac magazine. i know all this stuff is free on the net, but im sure im not the only one who likes the pages and what not, and waiting for the month to come.
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Jason Snell said 12:36PM on 5-10-2007
If you think this was a publicity stunt, you're delusional.
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Bob S. said 2:29PM on 5-10-2007
Wow, there's a TUAW post for the next slow news day. "Macworld editor has time to swoop in, call readers names."
Anyway, Tim, the consensus on the earlier thread was that the Brit magazines still had some pretty useful information. I'm a fan of iCreate; other folks like MacFormat. You pay a price for them, since the dollar's pretty weak these days, but most of us seemed to feel you get your money's worth. And honestly, I think Macworld does a few good issues a year -- it's better than it was a while back when they'd occasionally sandwich a Mac piece in between iPod coverage. I wouldn't take the chance on subscribing again, but it's worth flipping through at the newsstand to see if there's anything actually useful in there for the occasional issue where there is.
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wrench said 2:42PM on 5-10-2007
http://www.convinceme.net/viewOpenDebate.php?dib=227
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tpen said 3:00PM on 5-10-2007
Two words: Power Play.
This seems to me an example of passive-agressive bullying at its most pure.
Crappily managed IDG puts hard-nosed but successful manager Crawford at the head of bloated PC World to help trim fat and shore up profits. PC World editors must up the most gigantic "WAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" they can and hatch a little plot to get revenge.
Guess what's going to happen in a few months, PC World? There will still be changes. It will still be painful. But now I guess you won't have a bogeyman from your little sister organization to blame. So kudos for that.
It's all pretty 7th grade, including both my rant here and "Jason Snell's" post above. (note: what is the likelihood that it was REALLY Jason Snell that posted that? 1%?)
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Jason Snell said 3:50PM on 5-10-2007
I should specify: I interpreted comment #1 as suggesting that this entire embroglio was engineered by the aforementioned "sleazy publication."
If the suggestion was that the return of Harry is specifically the publicity stunt, I guess we'll all find out one way or another eventually! I wish Harry luck in his return to PC World and hope he does well.
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Jason Snell said 3:50PM on 5-10-2007
The TUAW people can confirm that it's me. I've posted here before.
As for my comment, seriously: if you think that any company would actually engineer such a ridiculous display of terrible press as a "publicity stunt," you probably also believe in alien abductions and other similarly insane conspiracy theories.
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Jason Snell said 3:54PM on 5-10-2007
Also you can tell it's me because I am a loser who double-confirms his comments, thereby causing them to appear out of chronological order!
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Mat Lu said 3:57PM on 5-10-2007
Of course it's Jason Snell, the email confirmation goes to his address.
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Jason Snell said 4:05PM on 5-10-2007
Sweet confirmation! Thanks, Mat. Now I can be blamed for real. :-)
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