5 chapters across the catalog
An anecdote describes how IDG founder Pat McGovern allegedly used non-existent, ghostwritten personas to write scathing reviews of companies that did not advertise in his magazines. When the targeted companies complained, McGovern would offer to "fire" the fictional writer in exchange for an advertising contract.
History of Political Correctness and Gamergate
A personal anecdote from 1981 describes an early encounter with "politically correct" language at InfoWorld magazine regarding the word "deviant." The discussion posits that the modern "woke" movement and deplatforming tactics were significantly accelerated by the Gamergate controversy in 2015.
A technical issue with an Epson printer cutting off text leads to a discovery that the device was defaulted to European A4 paper settings. This prompts a discussion on the failed 1960s and 1970s initiatives to convert the United States to the metric system. The use of A4 paper is characterized as an early globalist move that failed to gain traction in American offices.
Fake Columnists, Pat McGovern, Media Manipulation
John C. Dvorak recounts a story about IDG founder Pat McGovern using fake columnists in trade publications like InfoWorld. These fictional personas would write scathing critiques of major companies like IBM to provoke a reaction; when the companies complained, McGovern would "fire" the fake columnist to appease the advertiser, only to replace them with a new fictional entity to target a different company.
A clip from Brunswick PR, the firm representing BP, reveals how they hire former journalists and regulators to manage corporate crises. John C. Dvorak shares an anecdote from his time as editor of InfoWorld, describing how he would trick PR firms into writing historical articles for free, only to edit out their client mentions before publication. The hosts conclude that 80% of modern news is actually planted PR content.
