Confusing the people: Rumors vs. News
There have been rumors of the iPod shuffle's impending doom for some time now, with prolific soothsayers predicting the emergence of a 1GB nano-like device to take its place. The rumors are so frequent, it seems, that even local news stations are picking up on the "story," relaying the speculation as infallible will-eventually-be fact.
That sloppy reporting leads to conversations like the one I had at dinner tonight, with my dining partner insisting that, yes, Apple is discontinuing the shuffle and replacing it with a 1GB nano. The unbridled confidence in his statement led me to call up a colleague, confirming that I didn't in fact miss a whole product shift in the 15 minutes between leaving my desk and arriving at the restaurant. "Well," said my friend, "that's what they said on the news tonight."
Hmph. Rumor sites speculating on future products is one thing, but TV news stations? I know the iPod is The "It" Thing and everyone's looking forward to seeing what Apple has in the pipeline, but since when do credible "news" organizations indulge in rumor? Isn't reporting on possible iPod updates just like headlining with "Is Britney pregnant? Check out this photo!"? It makes the news nothing more than a tabloid. And the confusion amongst viewers only complicates the situation, threatening Apple -- perceptually and financially.
What do you think? Is the iPod so hot that TV news stations need to discuss rumors? Or are they just looking for a cheap way to spur interest?
