IDG Expos revokes some Mac Web press passes, but maybe it's about time


Who gets Macworld Expo press passes and who doesn't? Who makes those decisions? Those are two questions floating around the Mac Web the past week. IDG World Expos last week snubbed a few Mac Web sites by revoking their credentials. Why would they do such a thing? According GraphicPower, Apple is pulling the strings over at MS&L, the firm responsible for handing media registration for IDG. GraphicPower, quoting a MS&L representative, indicating that Apple's PR department was spearheading an initiative of information control. If true, the theory would be Apple is making an example of a few "rumormongers" in an attempt of keeping everyone else in line.

"... Apple has tremendous pull over who we can allow into the show as members of the media. They deem GraphicPower a rumor site and, as such, demanded that we pull your media credentials. IDG World Expo cannot reverse this decision."

Shortly after spilling the beans that Apple was rattling some sabers, ML&S changed their story, now IDG World Expo was responsible for pulling the badges. Giving the benefit of the doubt, Apple may have had nothing to do with this mess, but then again when looking at motives, IDG has very little to gain by restricting access. The proprietor of GraphicPower promptly shouted from the hilltops about what had happened, and without much surprise, many were willing to listen. There is quite a subculture of people who frequent the "Mac Web" and the only thing juicer than an Apple Rumor is a Mac Web Drama. Combine Mac Web Drama with an Apple Rumor twist and you got a hot story.

There're a few angles to this story. You have alleged back alley dealing by Apple to exert control over the media and a question of who qualifies as media on the Internet. For today, we'll leave the Apple conspiracy theory for the "rumor and speculation" sites and look at who gets media credentials at Macworld Expo.

Media Value

IDG charges a good chunk of change to exhibit at Macworld. Last I heard it was around $24-$26 per square foot and that's before we add in furniture, carpeting, power and Internet access. Then add on travel, housing, meals and other expenses for everyone going to the show. On top of all this, there are goofy local laws putting restrictions on people selling their wares at their booths. So it's not like it's easy to open shop at your booth and make a profit during the show. It's an expensive process, and it's not surprising why big names like Adobe and Macromedia are sitting this one out. Each company typically takes up a good chunk of floor space while bringing a small army to man their territory. When you need to cut costs, trade shows is a juicy line on a spreadsheet.

To help justify these costs, IDG needs to do two things for exhibitors. They need to bring in lots of foot traffic and also free media exposure. The free exposure is delivered entirely by the attending media, while regular attendance is also in part driven by the media. We talk up Macworld Expo and all its glitz and glamour, which encourages people to go to the next show to absorb it all in person. But mainly, IDG depends on the media to attend at their own expense to give exhibitors free exposure. That free exposure if equated to advertising, would account to an insurmountable amount of money.

I've been to few other trade shows, most of them small, but a few Comdex and PC Expo (or whatever it's called now) shows. In my estimation, most people attending these shows are there for some business related reason. Sure they enjoy going, but if they didn't have an invested business interest, they would probably not be there. Macworld Expo is actually a vacation for some people. For practically everyone there it's more about fun than work. This situation creates a grey area in media attendees. I believe there are a good number of registered media who go more for fun than work. I'm specifically talking about some running or working for Mac Web "publications." I've stood in line with these people for keynotes and I've sat next to them in press rooms. I've said it before (actually I think at every expo) that media attendance is out of control. I believe that there are clearly people registered as media that should have a regular badge. I'm not talking about rumor sites, I'm talking about people looking for a free lunch.

Press Passes

So why are media passes in such demand? Well, they're free and give you unlimited access to all activities. If that's not a good enough reason to write a review or editorial once every six months, I'm not sure what is. With a press pass you can get into the main event (the keynote), on to the show floor, in the conferences/workshops, in the press areas, and potentially on the list for press events and parties. You also get to stand in a shorter line for the keynote, in addition to getting some special attention on the show floor.

The keynote itself is worth the press pass. You get to sit right up front, although press seating seems to be getting further and further to the side. You also don't have to get in line at 5 AM to get a good seat. The press is inherently lazy and usually starts showing up at a more "normal" two hours before the show. And don't forget, you can't get into the keynote with that cheap-o Exhibits Only pass. If you don't have a press pass, you'll need an expensive conference pass to get in.

Other than the keynote, you're not missing much without a press pass. But I'll admit that occasionally I've found the best seat in the house for the keynote while in a bath robe eating room service at the Marriott. The "working" press room is nothing to get excited about. The attendant keeping the unwashed out makes airport security seem more like the Secret Service, and I would be astonished that if they were motivated enough to even stand up if anyone blew by them. The food and beverages rarely last past morning and present press members are most likely to be exhausted, hung over or a little of both. There's nothing glamorous or particularly useful about the Macworld Expo press rooms. It's a good place to meet fellow media types and I usually do stroll through the press kits, but hardly essential to working Macworld Expo. Taking away more from the press facilities, Internet access used to be only available in the press rooms, but now with wireless Internet lounges and most exhibitors with Internet access, you get can online to file reports easily from the show floor.

So given the fact that you'd prefer to roll out of bed 10 minutes before the keynote starts and can handle the price of the Exhibits pass (if you're on the ball you can get one free), why would you be bummed about not getting a press pass? Sure you might not get to the parties, but a little social engineering can get you anywhere. Sure you might be treated like a normal lowly attendee on the show floor, but you can get the job done. Besides, if someone feels they should have gotten a press pass and they didn't, then they should have no problems on the show floor. If you have or work for a respectable publication and the exhibiting companies have a competent PR person, you should have no problem as you should be known without the press badge. So what does this all come down to? Respect and credibility. If you run a Mac Web site or you're a writer that hasn't been around long or hasn't published much lately, a press pass gives you credibility at the show, perhaps credibility that's not deserve. For the rest of the media, we want free passes not because we're all elitist snobs, but it's really the least IDG can do to make our thankless jobs a little easier.

Who's Media?

I never heard of GraphicPower until last week, but I have heard of MacFixit and AppleLust, who also got a notices. I can't imagine why MacFixIt was denied press passes. MacFixIt later received a press pass in the mail, but so apparently did GraphicPower. Apparently the word to trim the media list came just last Monday, so odds are some mailed press credentials are no longer valid.

This is just nutty. You can't grant press credentials and then revoke them two weeks before the show. If IDG or some clandestine Apple conspiracy wanted to thin the herd to their liking, it should be done from the beginning, not moments before the curtain is drawn.

To try and center this issue, I don't think we're talking about rumor sites. Many people are polarizing the issue by saying "rumor sites shouldn't be allowed in, so why is everyone complaining?" The problem is, these sites are being "blacklisted" as rumor sites when they are not. Is seems this "rumor and speculation" qualification may be a convenient way to keep people out of the show for one reason or another. I do believe that rumor sites should not be allowed in the show. I'll name some by name to avoid any confusion, these are the likes of Think Secret, SpyMac and MacRumors, which appear to be the currently active group. Essentially if your business is rumors, then you shouldn't have a press pass. This is nothing against the rumor sites and what they do. I read them, along with many, many other people, and IGM often analyzes their content. What they do is fine by me and it's their business. I do believe, however, IDG and its exhibitors have a right to say who should not get press access. If an individual damages their business, they should not have press access, which essentially gives them a free pass to continue doing what they do. But what's extremely important is that Apple or IDG alone can not dictate who does and does not get access to Macworld. This must be decided with a consensus of all exhibitors, otherwise you're just serving the agenda of one company, and Apple and demonstrated well that its agenda serves no one but itself.

Beyond the rumor sites, to get a press pass today you just need a business card, one article written in the past six months and some type of Web page with your name in it. I do believe IDG needs to put some clamps down on media registration, but the rules should be clearly drawn. Catering to Apple's or any other singe company's whim is unacceptable. It's not about revenue, it's not about readership, it's not about the size of an organization, it's not even about taste or quality. It's about separating out those who use Macworld Expo as an ongoing publishing effort and those looking for a free lunch. A writer who is read by ten people today could be read by tens of thousands tomorrow. To me, someone who publishes or gets published on a regular basis for the six months leading up to Macworld Expo is qualified to receive media credentials. If you can't maintain that consistency, then you're not a part of the media. In the end, I feel my concept would be fairer and more effective at keeping the free loaders at bay, while also making the keynote line shorter for me.