NYT to David Pogue: No more speaking at PR events

An event hosted by PR Daily publisher Ragan Communications featuring tech columnist David Pogue sparked an internal review at the paper.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

In the webcast, New York Times personal technology columnist David Pogue explains the habits of PR professionals that irk him (and his colleagues) and highlights various successful PR pitches.

In a blog post published on Wednesday morning, Times public editor Arthur S. Brisbane said Pogue is “barred from making any more speeches like this one to public relations professionals.” Brisbane wrote:

Pogue told me in an email Tuesday that, henceforth, he has agreed “not to do any more speaking for Ragan or any PR-related event or organization.” He added that in the future “my speaking agent will now present every offer to my editor and me simultaneously. In other words, every single talk will now be approved in advance, as it’s supposed to be.”

Offering advice to public relations professionals is prohibited by the Times ethics policy; however, Pogue is a freelance contributor to the paper, and that—according to the paper’s associate managing editor for standards, Philip B. Corbett—means Pogue is held to these standards only when he’s on assignment for the paper.

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.