Presumptions are Dangerous Boomerangs

It would appear that the editor of Daily  DOOH  has taken umbrage at rAVe [Publications] methodology of show coverage.  I posted this to my Google Plus account but after looking around on the DOOH site I found even more sniping on the part of Mr. Adrian J Cotterill, this time about the apparent age and gender of rAVe's journalists.   Really AC?  

While this will not endear me to Mr. Cotterill I posted the below on the rAVe blog post:

An interesting bit of vitriol Mr. Cotterill spits out. I say interesting in that midway through reading his screed I kept thinking his real message is 'Get Off My Lawn You Whippersnappers!"

In my view, this is a classic example of new media vs old.  Industry professionals like myself gravitate to news sources such as Rave because of the timing and format it is presented in.  

Balanced is a funny word, what exactly do you mean by it sir? Balanced in that you decide which exhibitors I get to hear about or is there some preordained hierarchy of who gets coverage or what I should be interested in if I were but a learned AV professional such as yourself? 

I have had the opportunity to work professionally with the American rAVe staff as a manufacturers marketing person and as associates (rAVe publishes my blog and hosts the AV Nation podcasts I am producer for). I have found the individuals Gary hires to be professional, accurate and remarkably interested in the AV industry from all angles no matter how small or large.  The intensity they show translates into interest from the readers - What could possibly be wrong with that?!

I do not write for rAVe nor agreed as one of AV Nations advisory board members to partner with them just for business reason, I admire the sense of community and engagement they foster.  The online community of AV folks gather around them for the same reasons. 

As I read through the article and comments I was reminded of the infamous Bill Gundy episode on Thames Television circa 1976. Whatever happened to good times Bill anyway?

If you are unfamiliar with Bill Gundy you can see the moment he killed his own career ( and the staff at the Thames Television technical staff)  on YouTube.  *Warning the content is not for those who find expletives disturbing *   

 

 Bill Gundy typhooned his career because he engaged in Character Assassination with a group who were more fearless and smarter -(on the whole and despite appearances) then the learned and esteemed journalist.   The video shows an interview with the group 'The Sex Pistols' where the right honorable Bill Gundy proceeds to goad the band with devastating results.  Love him or hate him John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, is a horribly intelligent person  who channels the prolific anger of the situationist  into an artful confrontation.   Even in this interview you can see his eyes alight with the ghost of Guy Debord.  

Mr. Gundy did not know what hit him - presumptions are dangerous boomerangs 

Hoist Meet Petard.