If someone emails you or phones you, saying “I’d love to ask you a few questions about ____ (insert any topic)”… be careful how you respond. They may just be setting you up for disaster!
Last week I was contacted by Mya Frazier of Advertising Age for an interview about my experience with PayPerPost.com as a blogger. Having had a great experience with the company, I gladly answered each of her questions in detail. She was very friendly, and assured me that the article would be objective. I had asked about the slant specifically - considering the current controversy surrounding PayPerPost.
To quote Mya, she said “The only angle I ever write is objective…”
I was quite shocked when I looked at the online version of the magazine on Monday morning… as Mya’s article, titled Want to Build Up Blog Buzz?, was entirely negative - using my comments completely out of context to make her point.
Mya and I had spoke at length over the phone, and I learned that she was also a work-at-home mother, working from her home office so that she could be home with her children. She was very friendly, and her questions were on target for a great interview… and as I mentioned, she assured me that the article would be objective.
Deception at it’s best I found out later, of course. 
The word “deception”, and the topic of misleading readers, has been a popular subject across the blogosphere in regards to working with PayPerPost. They are an advertising broker, paying bloggers to include text links in their blog posts for their advertisers. Critics have worried that this will lead to “product shilling” - or bloggers giving positive reviews or misleading entries just to keep their advertisers happy.
But Mya’s article for AdAge was more of an example of deceiving readers than anything I have ever seen done by a ‘Postie’ (a blogger who writes for PayPerPost)…
Just beneath the topic of ‘Product Shilling’ at the beginning of the article, Mya makes me out to be a blogger who ‘writes about life as a single mother’. Keep in mind that she knew full well that ClickNewz was an Internet Marketing Blog and that she knew my background as the owner of SSWT:
Product shilling
“It’s the easiest money I’ve ever made,” Ms. Terry said. But to earn it, she couldn’t just write about her life as a single mother of two living in Tennessee. She had to essentially shill for advertisers, from Epson inkjet printers to the software product Camtasia.
And, of course, she took two of the only product-based opportunities on my blog to use as examples. Out of all of the opportunities I have ever taken with PayPerPost, the majority of them were comments on other websites or blogs - or online resources - very few were ever about products. And if you look at my posts for the Camtasia 4.0 release and feedback on Epson Printers, you will see that they were relevant for my blog and not at all misleading.
As for my comment about PayPerPost being the easiest money I’ve earned online, that was true. I made the point that it certainly wasnt the most money I’d ever earned, but that it was a very simple way to earn money online that was open to just about anyone. I did tell her that I was testing PPP for the purpose of writing a Case Study on this money-making opportunity, which I planned to publish online.
In the next paragraph, Mya writes:
By Ms. Terry’s math, if she expanded to five active blogs and took the maximum three opps per day, her monthly take would jump to nearly $3,600, or $43,200 a year. “That’s a full-time income,” she added enthusiastically.
This comes from my recent breakdown of PayPerPost earnings, I believe. I made the comment that you could potentially earn around $900/month per blog - with PayPerPost alone (not including other streams of revenue). If you have 5 blogs, $900×5 = $4,500/month… or over $50k per year.
And that could very well be ‘full-time income’ for a stay-at-home mother, or any other number of people. Her wording was very misleading, but my point was to encourage people who were looking for ways that they could realistically earn a decent living from home with no major requirements.
Towards the end of her article, Mya ‘quotes’ me once again:
‘Funny issue’
“It’s kind of a funny issue,” Ms. Terry said, before admitting she does not disclose every post and often will cloak her affiliate links. “You get a higher conversion rate,” she said. “It just confuses people who are not familiar with it.” (Some PayPerPost bloggers are using the abbreviation PPP to tip off readers.)
These snippets were taken from a 20 minute conversation, and put together to sound like they meant something in the context she intended. That wasnt the case at all.
I think I may have said “The whole disclosure issue is a funny thing, really…”, leading into a conversation about internet marketing and affiliate marketing in general. Mya wasnt at all familiar with Affiliate Marketing or how any of that worked, so I explained to her how it was acceptable to cloak affiliate links - something people had been doing on their websites for years.
I told her that long ugly tracking URL’s were ugly and confusing for people who didnt understand how all of that worked, and that cloaking (in regards to affiliate marketing) carried two purposes: to keep things neat (visually appealing), and to increase conversion rates. I said all of this, of course, in comparison to the PayPerPost model of including relevant text links within blog posts - and how that relates to the topic of forced disclosure.
I didnt “admit” that I dont diclose every post. I openly stated that I thought it was pointless if the content was relevant and resourceful to my readers - and that the paid posts were very similar to any other posts I make on my blog.
You get the gist on all of this, I am sure. Obviously Mya’s point with this article was to bash PayPerPost. I certainly dont appreciate being used to help her make that point. It was a complete waste of my time.
Of course, I wont ever be reading Advertising Age, or anything that Mya is associated with, knowing now that her articles are meaningless banter and carry no real facts.
Unlike Mya, I take my writing opportunities seriously…
Tags: magazine interview, adage, advertising age, misquoted
19 responses so far ↓
Paul Short // Nov 1, 2006 at 9:40 am
What a f***ing hack job that article is. I simply can’t believe that mainstream media, who are supposed to have high ethical standards, are pumping out this “link bait” on a regular basis.
What’s more or less ethical here. Someone making a post and sticking in a link in there that they make $5-$10 for, or a journalist from a highly acclaimed publication calling someone up and lying through their teeth to get quotes to use to deliberately damage that persons reputation, all in the name of linkbaiting.
I tried to comment on the article on AA, but after seeing the amount of demographic info they try and squeeze out of you, and the fact that they also want to cram their ads down your throat via your signup email address - all so I could have the privilege of interacting with a blatent liar, screw it. I came back here and commented on the more ethical blog.
Mya Frazier, isn’t lying, misquoting sources and spinning crap for pay the same as what you point out PPP bloggers as doing? Oh wait, it’s ok for you though, because your employer is bigger and pays you a hell of a lot more to do it.
Amy // Nov 1, 2006 at 9:40 am
Great response, Lynn. It’s unfortunate you were misled so blatantly.
Julie // Nov 1, 2006 at 10:57 am
I’m glad you spoke out about it Lynn. When I read the article I was certain it wasn’t what you said and was taken way out of context. You can cross AdvertisingAge off my list of reads. Never again!
RobS :-) // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:00 am
Wow…
Paul… I hope A LOT of people READ the reply you gave here… I for one am NOT suprised by the way “mya” did that… after all there are the sneakiest people out there…
You can never trust waht you read in newspapers, or mags, they ALL have an agenda!
Lynn, great reply, is there a way we can all link to this and get that out there..
Obviously you will never reach so many opeople as that mag.. but hey here is an idea… USE PPP to get lots of people writing about YOUR post… I am sure PPP would even like that..
And I agree with Paul…. I am on the more ethical blog here for sure..
Keep on keeping on Lynn…. sod em..
WE know the truth.
Rob
PayPerPost Bashers Need to Get a Life - Paul Short’s Weblog // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:03 am
[...] I’m referring to this post on Lynn Terry’s blog and the (oh, I SO want to call her a bitch) author of this Advertising Age article. [...]
Peter Wright // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:11 am
When I was writing articles for magazines a lot, and had interviews to do, I’d record the interview. Whenever someone got back to me saying that I’d put a slant on what they said, I’d send them the tape.
I think the time is fast approaching for us all in PayPerPost to start doing phone interviews over Skype and record the interviews to our hard disks. When the inevitable slanty biased opinion based junk gets published, we should all just link to it and upload the recording .
That would have worked great in this case.
Lynn Terry // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:22 am
I’ll keep that in mind for future interviews, no doubt…
RobS :-) // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:32 am
Peter,
That is a great idea… and ONCE those unethical “interviewers” KNEW that was happening..or the INTERVIEWEE mentioned they would only do it on skype…THIS sort of thing wouldn’t happen.
I HOPE alot of people take your advice on board..
Rob..
P.s Won’t bother me… couldn’t hear on the phone.. so I would request they did it by email…
I would have a copy too.. so..
But WHO would want to interview ME?? lol
Robert // Nov 1, 2006 at 2:26 pm
Unlike other posters I choose to go the distance in order to comment. I agree that one should either only say “no comment”, do 3 way calls(with a agreed on position that the 3rd person records all such calls) or if prefered informing the person that the call is being recorded and not proceeding if it isn’t. What goes around, comes around
Kidino // Nov 1, 2006 at 11:06 pm
I can’t imagine the feeling when somebody took your words and say it in a different, misleading, unethical way. The feeling is one thing, our reputation is on the line, and not to mention the trouble that might come because of that one silly article, which is obviously not objective at all.
It’s like when you say, “I did NOT do it”, and they say you said, “I did — do it”. One single word a HUGE difference.
But you know what Lynn, you put up a great response. Don’t worry, I am with you. Soon the world will know the truth about that reporter and the publication that writes for.
Kristie Tamsevicius // Nov 2, 2006 at 7:46 am
Lynn,
I’m sure that’s not the first time the media has used “yellow journalism” to paint the story they want — nor will it be the last. I did an interview with Crains Chicago Business that was completely positive and they twisted it all the be completely negative. I wrote letters to the editor. I requested a retraction. No such luck.
Sorry that happened to you. It makes you understand how those Hollywood Stars must feel about all the garbage that is printed about them. Totally truthless!
Hey, at least you got mentioned in Advertising Age — that’s quite a feat! That means they see you as a “go to” expert. That’s great news!
Paul Short // Nov 2, 2006 at 8:36 am
Peter, that’s a great idea.
I wonder how many of these journalists would actually do an interview when they know it’s being recorded? Not many I bet.
Teli Adlam // Nov 2, 2006 at 3:00 pm
And you’ve just opened the eyes of many naive people, Lynn (myself included). You see, we know that journalists can spin a story, but we never believe it can happen to us. We trust the journalists and reports to be fair an impartial, but we also forget they’re aren’t judges or jurors. Anything we read in a magazine, a newspaper, or see on television is essentially an opinion piece designed to sell the product (i.e. the magazine, newspaper, or network).
Not all journalists are bad, but I agree with Paul, that article was a hack job and Mya was a (w)hack job.
Terribly sorry thishappened to you and I must say, reading the article, it sounded absolutely nothing like the Lynn Terry I know. It’s amazing how the tone of the article can completely change the perception of a person’s character. If I didn’t know you personally, Lynn, I would say you’re someone I didn’t want to know after reading that article. (Glad I knew you before reading it, though.)
Peter’s idea is a great one. Simply tell the journalist that the conversation is being recorded for your records and may be used however you see fit after the interview. If she declines, tell her the interview will not happen, or that you’d be happy to do an e-mail interview where you can maintain a hard copy for your records.
A shame it has to be done, but it has to be done.
~ Teli
Jennifer Knox // Nov 4, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Lynn,
Thanks so much for posting your experience with this “journalist”. Hopefully, word will get out that this woman is the hack that she is and she will no longer be given high-profile writing assignments again. She clearly cannot be trusted to be objective.
As a writer, trust and honesty are the only values that matter and this woman has undoubtedly begun the slow death of her career. Too bad, she was probably an adequate writer, if only she had been honest.
Jennifer Knox
Tawnya Sutherland // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:53 pm
Lynn,
Just wanted to show you my arms of support here *hugs*. Reporters/editors/people can be so brutal at times that you wonder how they sleep at night?
Tawnya Sutherland
Dan B // Nov 8, 2006 at 1:54 am
Lynn ~
Get a copy of the Advertising Age logo and put it at the top of you page saying “as seen in Advertising Age”. Take advantage of this.
WORTH A BILLION // Jan 7, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Lynn, I am glad you set the record straight.
The constant PPP bashing at some some sites is nothing but an attempt to get attention and traffic with the sole purpose of monetizing their own content - the very thing they look down at other people for doing.
Buzzer // Nov 12, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Goodness Lynn I know just how you feel!
I was recently misquoted in several newspaper articles on a personal note!
It’s horrible how the main stream media screws up what someone says for their own purposes…
Not only myself but many friends and family have been horrifically bashed by the media!
One newspaper did get about 50% of what I said right (though out of context), then one of their readers to the online version comments that “she is lying for so and so… I don’t know her at all but I am sure she is lying”
She admitted she doesn’t know me from adam but the media has filled this person’s mind with enough trash that I can’t even tell the truth and expect people to see a realistic side of things!
So that’s what comes from telling the truth where members of the main stream media will hear it…
I don’t take interviews because of the past experiences I and others have had with the media…
I’ll write it for myself thank you!
We all know you do a great job here and we appreciate your being objective and doing actual case studies then returning with the bare boned facts instead of a dramatic sob story or “I just want to bash someone today” point of view…
Thanks for that…
For just telling us the facts and letting us decide for ourselves!
Lynn Terry // Nov 12, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Thank you Buzzer - your support & kind words are very much appreciated!
I hate to hear of your own experiences with the media. Its a shame really - when there’s so much “real news” to be told…
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