GeoffK

I got this email today and my jaw dropped:

So let me get this straight. The Digital Bits choses Blu-Ray over HD DVD and then the Blu-Ray Group throws them and HTF a huge party.

To me this seems like Payola? But you tell me.

Logic 7

Sounds like it to me

crapkilla

Wow, that reeks!
Maybe you could scam something out of Toshiba to go the other way

Arpeggi

Shocking.

dan30oly

I've been suspecting that Sony/Blu Ray has been paying off studios and supporters for quite some time now.

DVD Josh

And to think of all the people in this forum who gave me shit for saying the things I did about TDB and HTF shilling for BD. Vindication tastes so sweet.

darkside

We have all said that for many, many months. He has been a shill since day one of the format war.

tonyc3742

At least he's been consistent. I would call it payola if he suddenly or recently decided, or if there's evidence he or the site has "benefited" in the past or that BD/Sony has "suggested" they support BD.
I can see this being throwing a major shille---supporter a "thank you" bone. Still, it's tacky to say the least.

DthRdrX

It certainly wasn't me.

Josh Z

Even if this weren't a direct conflict of interest (which, frankly, I think it is), it certainly has an appearance of impropriety. I take Adam's point about the site being a blog rather than a journalistic news source, but it still just doesn't look right and can only damage their credibility.

dan30oly

I wonder if this kind of activity is just the tip of the iceburg in the European Commissions investigation of anti-trust activities regarding the blu-ray group: http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=505414

bunkaroo

I don't know if you guys actually read HTF much, but last time I was there I read multiple threads where Ron does not hide that he prefers HD-DVD.

Here's a link for those who were about to ask for one:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...&postcount=119

He states in this post he does not yet own Blu-Ray and does own HD-DVD.

I guess that vindication is only half as sweet now.

Bleddyn Williams

The HTF seems to be me to still be doing a fine job of being impartial, so the party just seems like a perk.

Bill Hunt on the other hand... I'd already lost respect for him as a fair reporter, but this does make him look like a total shill.

Gizmo

What a shock!

oldchuckles

How come there are no Las Vegas parties for DVD Talk? Maybe because Geoffrey aint no stinking shill like Bill Hunt seems to be! I stopped going to Digital Bits because of its questionable shilling of Blu-Ray by the head clown on that site. Screw them and their payola parties. Just because Sony has the biggest dick in town doesn't mean that Digital Bits has to get down on its kness and pleasure it! DVD Talk and Geoffrey rock. Thanks for sharing the TRUTH with us!!!

pro-bassoonist

What about the HTF? Have they sided with anyone?

Pro-B

Burnt Thru

htf owner prefers hd dvd. digital bits prefers bd. they're having a joint party sponsered by a bd company. why would someone start a thread slaming one of them for being bought off and ignore the other one? some history between messers klienman and hunt perhaps? one site owner publicly attacking another always has the prospect of looking cheap.

oldchuckles

Geoffrey and DVD Talk have always been format neutral between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Bill Hunt and The Digital Bits are notoriously pro Blu-Ray and slam HD-DVD almost on a daily basis! There must be something to this Las Vegas party! How come DVD Talk wasn't invited to party with a bunch of showgirls? I don't know anything about the HTF folks but Bill Hunt has been attacking HD-DVD since the get-go! Screw that asshole and his Las Vegas "party." I wonder if he will take his wife Sarah with him to the "party"?

Jay G.

I don't know about the showgirls, but the very first post on this thread was an invitation for DVD Talk to attend the party.

Also, note that it's a 10-year anniversary party for those sites, DVDTalk has about a year and a half before it hits that milestone, at which point the Blu-Ray group may offer to throw a party for it.

Supermallet

I know what you mean. I cannot believe the lengths some people went to when Bill's neutrality was called into question. The man is a whore for BD. Get over it.

fryinpan1

Some of Bill Hunt's latest rants almost make him seem like he needs serious medical help. He just seems like a raving lunatic writing multiple paragraphs every single week about how HD DVD has to die and Blu-ray has to win.

We get it Bill, you want Blu-ray to win.

Burnt Thru

i think u were responding to someone else's post. this has nothing to do with what i typed.

it is interesting that some are taking this as an opportunity to bash tdb while ignoring htf. selective reading of the facts at its finest.

Adam Tyner

Oh, I agree. I'm sure a lot of my indifference is owed to the fact that The Digital Bits hasn't really had much to offer me for years. They almost never are the first to break any news, title announcements filter much faster through sites like The Man Room, Davis DVD, and DVD Active, and they barely bother with reviews.

pro-bassoonist

And so are a number of other sites that are often quoted at TALK as “neutral”. What does this have to do with Bill Hunt and where he stands?

I also fail to see what this invitation has to do with Bill’s credibility? I don’t know this man, never have, but he has certainly made it clear which format he prefers and is taking the deserved criticism such a move this early in the game requires.

You don’t like his site, fine, go somewhere else and read someone else’s that better reflects your “neutrality”. Isn’t that what the Internet offers, an unlimited number of opinions?

However, I much rather have someone who has come out in this supposed war defending their choice (a large number of the graphs and stats The Bits post and discuss are authored by external analysts) than frequent plenty of real news sites where “neutrality” is seen through, no pun intended, pink glasses.


What does the invitation read: The Digital Bits and HTF, Great!
Since it is so transparent to everyone that the Blue Ray Camp is “obviously” funding the DB then please provide the deserved amount of criticism in this fiasco for HTF. And please, let’s take them out of the unbiased camp as soon as possible, so there is no more confusion amidst the rest of the unbiased minds.


Neutrality? Don’t confuse neutrality with credibility (and, no I am not arguing whether or not TDB are a credible source). There are plenty of writers, reviewers, and analysts, who have expressed a preference in this war. Does this automatically negate everything they say? Do we automatically avoid a site that may or may not be in tune with what we want to hear?


Lately I’ve read all sorts of strange claims that such and such site is not to be trusted because during such and such period the writer expressed a preference or he or she happens to be too technical, etc. Fine, but if we are going to dismiss someone, and I don’t mean TDB here, show us/me a consistent pattern where facts are being twisted, not reports that someone else fabricated, but technical data (reviews in discord with the technical evaluation other reviewers have provided on a consistent basis, etc). Many sites read and analyze data provided by the two rivaling camps! This, arguably, is what they are supposed to do.

I also disagree with some of Bill Hunt’s editorials…as I disagree with Lou Dobbs’ CNN column quite often. But I read what other people have to say when I am interested in the subject they discuss with the hope of learning more about what apparently separates us.

That’s the least I could do to justify my “neutrality”.

Pro-B

GeoffK

And if they did I would politely refuse. There are ethical questions which surround a studio throwing a party for an outlet who covers them. I didn't single out HTF because I don't consider them a media outlet. While they have some reviews their core is an online community, so i think the issues are less than with a site like Bits which holds itself up as a media outlet.

I think it's just as insulting that these studios would throw a party as the sites who agree to have it thrown for them.

Personally I have a hard time thinking of throwing a party for DVD Talk in one locale because it ultimately would exclude people who absolutely should be a part of it but can't because of geographic distance. Also I'd rather put that time, effort and money into working on the site and foum... I mean isn't getting Private Messaging up and going a better treat than reading that we had some boondoggle booze party in Vegas that you couldn't attend. Or maybe something more significant to celebratate 10 years like an ad free membership zone. But I digress.

This issue isn't personal to The Digital bits or HTF. I've never had bad blood with Bill and always wish him well in his edevour. The issue is this party is a black eye to every real online journalist who works hard to earn the respect of the studios and agencies they work with. It's a negative blow to a long term effort to educate them that not all web outlets are junket whores, not all sites can be bought and that there is room for ethics and respectability online.