FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews

CritterYawn · 10-07-09, 05:05 PM

Recently FTC issued a ruling stating that product reviewers on blogs should clearly state if they were paid for them or freebies were handed to them in order to do the review: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009...-FTC.html?_r=2

I'm just wondering what impact will this ruling have on the DVD and Blu-Ray reviews that are made by DVDTalk's collaborators.

The Bus · 10-07-09, 09:27 PM

A line of text?

benedict · 10-08-09, 03:07 AM

1) Not absolutely sure what you mean by "DVDTalk's collaborators". Do you simply mean the guys that do the reviews here?

2) DVDTalk is not a blog. It is an overtly commercial site.

3) The cited article and the court decision relate to what I would regard as "shilling". In contrast, with DVDTalk there is a reasonable expectation on the part of the reader that the reviews posted are of products provided for review purposes by commercial concerns rather than representing peoples' thoughts on random DVDs picked up from Blockbuster or wherever. And, as is clear when you read the reviews, not everything is given the thumbs up i.e. there is objectivity.

4) I'm not involved in producing or managing reviews here and wonder why I'm even responding to the OP

CritterYawn · 10-08-09, 06:50 AM

Well, in this case, could you pass the question along?

(And thanks for the answer. The fact that DVDTalk is not a blog may, or may not be, relevant.)

benedict · 10-09-09, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CritterYawn

[....]could you pass the question along?
[....]

Done.

Suprmallet · 10-09-09, 02:03 PM

I no longer review on DVD Talk, but I was the HD Editor for a time, and I don't think we ever kept it a secret that the reviewers got to keep the discs they received for the reviews. However, that treatment has never stopped the review staff from writing what they think of the product in question. I've been sent to events by the studios, and while the hope is that we will write something wonderful, that is not the expectation. DVD Talk has an excellent reputation for fair and thorough reviews and I don't see why this ruling would change things in that regard.

CritterYawn · 10-14-09, 06:22 AM

Thanks for the clarification. It was almost obvious, indeed, I guess it was more like a kind of a heads-up from my part.

Tommy Ceez · 10-19-09, 12:12 AM

I think this ruling is more for the political/lifestyle blogs where all of a sudden you would get a series of posts like

"Reporting on the gay rights protest has become so much easier because of my iPhone 3G!"

10-07-09, 05:05 PM	#1
CritterYawn Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Moooovieland Posts: 201	FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews Recently FTC issued a ruling stating that product reviewers on blogs should clearly state if they were paid for them or freebies were handed to them in order to do the review: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009...-FTC.html?_r=2 I'm just wondering what impact will this ruling have on the DVD and Blu-Ray reviews that are made by DVDTalk's collaborators. __________________ Watching paint dry at http://plus7.arte.tv/fr/1697480.html

10-07-09, 09:27 PM	#2
The Bus DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Delaware Posts: 42,898	Re: FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews A line of text? __________________ Panda Killer XBL/PSN/Steam: Chiwotweiler \| hd dvdaf \| last.fm \| Movies: 2002 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 "Wearing Shakira's ass for a hat interests me more than anything else in the universe." - Hokeyboy

10-08-09, 03:07 AM	#3
benedict Administrator Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Outside of the U.S.A. Posts: 9,005	???? 1) Not absolutely sure what you mean by "DVDTalk's collaborators". Do you simply mean the guys that do the reviews here? 2) DVDTalk is not a blog. It is an overtly commercial site. 3) The cited article and the court decision relate to what I would regard as "shilling". In contrast, with DVDTalk there is a reasonable expectation on the part of the reader that the reviews posted are of products provided for review purposes by commercial concerns rather than representing peoples' thoughts on random DVDs picked up from Blockbuster or wherever. And, as is clear when you read the reviews, not everything is given the thumbs up i.e. there is objectivity. 4) I'm not involved in producing or managing reviews here and wonder why I'm even responding to the OP

10-08-09, 06:50 AM	#4
CritterYawn Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Moooovieland Posts: 201	Re: FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews Well, in this case, could you pass the question along? (And thanks for the answer. The fact that DVDTalk is not a blog may, or may not be, relevant.) __________________ Watching paint dry at http://plus7.arte.tv/fr/1697480.html

10-09-09, 02:03 PM	#6
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	Re: FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews I no longer review on DVD Talk, but I was the HD Editor for a time, and I don't think we ever kept it a secret that the reviewers got to keep the discs they received for the reviews. However, that treatment has never stopped the review staff from writing what they think of the product in question. I've been sent to events by the studios, and while the hope is that we will write something wonderful, that is not the expectation. DVD Talk has an excellent reputation for fair and thorough reviews and I don't see why this ruling would change things in that regard. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.

10-14-09, 06:22 AM	#7
CritterYawn Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Moooovieland Posts: 201	Re: FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews Thanks for the clarification. It was almost obvious, indeed, I guess it was more like a kind of a heads-up from my part. __________________ Watching paint dry at http://plus7.arte.tv/fr/1697480.html

10-19-09, 12:12 AM	#8
Tommy Ceez DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Capitol of the Empire! Center of all Commerce and Culture! Crossroads of Civilization! NEW ROME!!!...aka New York City Posts: 9,682	Re: FTC Ruling On Blog Reviews Impact On DVDTalk Reviews I think this ruling is more for the political/lifestyle blogs where all of a sudden you would get a series of posts like "Reporting on the gay rights protest has become so much easier because of my iPhone 3G!" __________________ Tommy Ceez may or may not be a moron, but he's OUR possible moron - El Scorcho