WaggEd Puts the Kabosh on Scoble

Apparently Scoble's in trouble with the press -- he'll no longer grant media interviews unless the WaggEd folks approve. He's created a "Scobleizer Press FAQ."

Scoble sheds more insight in the comments section:

I get about 10 requests for interviews a week and I needed a way to treat all press the same. Translation: my managers want me to work with PR and not be working with press on my own. Deep translation: I messed up a relationship.

There's rules for press engagement for a reason at Microsoft and I shouldn't be above the rules. Just wanted to communicate that with everyone so that when I get a press request I can send them the page with my policy on it so they can understand why I'm not answering them back right away.

Scoble makes a good point: Why should he be treated any different than any other Microsoft employee in terms of interacting with the press? I can think of a few different reasons, mostly it's because he's not like any other employee at Microsoft.

The guy has a near cult-like following and has arguably done more to improve his company's image (sans WaggEd) than any other Microsoft employee I can name. As such, he should be treated as an exception. Treating him otherwise just seems counterintuitive, plus the situation smells like an old-school command and control-style PR power grab.

Comments

[mike]

And blogging is just another PR/Marketing strategy that is currently convenient for the company.

At some point, it may no longer be so convenient.