A huge embarrassment for ‘This American Life’ …
RETRACTING “MR. DAISEY AND THE APPLE FACTORY”
16 March 2012
Ira [Glass, Executive Producer and Host of This American Life] writes:I have difficult news. We’ve learned that Mike Daisey’s story about Apple in China – which we broadcast in January – contained significant fabrications. We’re retracting the story because we can’t vouch for its truth. This is not a story we commissioned. It was an excerpt of Mike Daisey’s acclaimed one-man show “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” in which he talks about visiting a factory in China that makes iPhones and other Apple products.
The China correspondent for the public radio show Marketplace tracked down the interpreter that Daisey hired when he visited Shenzhen China. The interpreter disputed much of what Daisey has been saying on stage and on our show. On this week’s episode of This American Life, we will devote the entire hour to detailing the errors in “Mr. Daisey Goes to the Apple Factory.”
Daisey lied to me and to This American Life producer Brian Reed during the fact checking we did on the story, before it was broadcast. That doesn’t excuse the fact that we never should’ve put this on the air. In the end, this was our mistake.
We’re horrified to have let something like this onto public radio. Many dedicated reporters and editors – our friends and colleagues – have worked for years to build the reputation for accuracy and integrity that the journalism on public radio enjoys. It’s trusted by so many people for good reason. Our program adheres to the same journalistic standards as the other national shows, and in this case, we did not live up to those standards.
A press release with more details about all this is below. We’ll be posting the audio of the program and the transcript on Friday night this week, instead of waiting till Sunday.
Mike Daisy’s response:
I stand by my work. My show is a theatrical piece whose goal is to create a human connection between our gorgeous devices and the brutal circumstances from which they emerge. It uses a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell its story, and I believe it does so with integrity. Certainly, the comprehensive investigations undertaken by The New York Times and a number of labor rights groups to document conditions in electronics manufacturing would seem to bear this out.
What I do is not journalism. The tools of the theater are not the same as the tools of journalism. For this reason, I regret that I allowed THIS AMERICAN LIFE to air an excerpt from my monologue. THIS AMERICAN LIFE is essentially a journalistic - not a theatrical - enterprise, and as such it operates under a different set of rules and expectations. But this is my only regret. I am proud that my work seems to have sparked a growing storm of attention and concern over the often appalling conditions under which many of the high-tech products we love so much are assembled in China. [emphasis added]
For the second time this week, I say: this reminds me of some bloggers.
It’s just not good enough nor credible to pose as someone who appears to abide by journalistic values of truth and accuracy, purporting to ‘report’ ‘facts’ … but inserting lies, distortions and partisan disinformation … then, when shown to be a liar, trotting out a ‘but I’m not a journalist‘ routine.
Unconvincing.
– P
Update: Here’s Rob Schmitz’s more detailed account of uncovering Mike Daisy’s ‘dramatic licence’ (read: deceit) An acclaimed Apple critic made up the details (marketplace.org)
What seems to be currently being proved – is that no media form including the ersatz media know as bloggers – are independant in any way shape or form.
You can tell which way they vote / which income bracket they sit in – or which set of fences they all sit on – by the way they ‘report’ the news.
Six figure incomes – cant identify with the majority of Kiwis. Fact.
You can throw tolstoy or dostoevsky and other such luminaries at the problem – and the fact remains – there are those who “have” and can afford to navel gaze and philosophise about matters – and on the other hand there are those who have NOT – and dont have a shit show in hell under current scenarios of ever having … as it were.
Take another puff on the metaphorical cigar – lounge back in your wingback plush chair – exhale a large volume of important smoke – look at your dividends and returns on investment – and think how lucky you are … not to be poor or at the bottom of the heap. Sunsets can be timelapsed – people can fawn over you and massage your ego.
Hey Ivan, with respect, I don’t agree with your assertion that a six figure income completely dulls a homo sapien’s capacity for empathy.
(a) That’s not that much money.
(b) There are ample examples of people on far less incomes being totally heartless.
-P
I’ll reply to other aspects later if I get the chance — breaking for lunch at the Auckland University ‘Brain Day’ right now.
Fhats fine Pete – i personally think it can. We agree to disagree.
Not much money – have you looked at the demographics for most areas of NZ?? Age sex and income – six figures not that much??
What examples of people on far less incomes – if you are referring to the nakedly unashamed hijacking of the “middle class” – those paid from $35K – $60K per annum by the neo liberals by types like Key and his henchmen – to see the unwashed as the source of all their problems … then i rest my case. If you refer to people murdering, child abusing etc etc – on lower incomes – i then present the hypothesis that reactions can be equal and / or opposite at both ends of the spectrum perhaps??
And PMY (poormastery) is right in one sense – Hard work – make your own luck – but the work has to be there – and the system has to actually support that – work available – please go out and work. To get people in the loop – the loop has to be both available and functioning.
ivantheterrible,
Poormastery (despite the handle) has never claimed to be some sort of a spokesman for the common man. That was you!
For sure, there is an element of luck that I am not poor, or at the bottom of the economic heap.
Maybe, though, the harder you work, the better your luck?
Just a thought…
Rgds,
*p*
PMY – im not a spokesman for anything or anyone … merely making observations based almost solely on experience. Your last observations regarding luck – and working hard … well let me finish on this ….
Personally i know and have interacted with persons – some holding down 3 and sometimes 4 jobs (and this spans several years) ….many of them female (though not all) with multiple children and often of a certain ethnicity and certainly of a certain socio economic standing – they work hard and i can verify it (no laziness evident) – but they have little or no luck – certainly not “luck” as some would view it to be so. The “trickle down” theory of work hard and it will come to you – doesnt always apply. Often it does – and we all hope our children take the message … but there is such a thing as often unpleasant realities – that any of us can be cushioned from and desensitised to – through our own good fortune.
But this is just an observation. Pontius Pilate once said to Jesus Christ prior to his execution “what is truth” – i tend to wonder the same thing at times.
As for me … i often think that the more ‘luck’ we have and the more successful we are – there may (may) be a corresponding responsibility to ensure the ladder is firmly in place for others – that we perhaps dont find ourselves gently and surreptitiously pulling it up inch by inch after ourselves – patting ourselves on the back that we are now masters of the universe (lovely scene from Titanic – where Rose Decatur makes the same observations …}
Personally PMY – i’ve had a lot of luck – and much due to very hard work. What i try to do – is not put it all down to my situation being an immutable testament and template for all others breathing the same air. One thing i admire about many of the old money families in NZ – is their commitment to philanthropy and a ‘leg up’ to others – a tangible recognition that life is not equal.
And PMY just a passing thought further … i never ever claimed you were remotely an advocate for the common man (if you are thinking i was…) – in fact you probably would along with Pete – be the very last people i would perhaps see as spokespeople for the common man.
You arent common – and you go to great lengths to prove it. Uncommonly so.
Keep up the good work …
Cheers
A few links about this Mike Daisey deceit:
This American Life’s retraction episode — the transcript is online but listening to the interview/gentle interrogation of Mike Daisey about his lies is compelling listening. Recommended.
Audio: http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/460.mp3
Transcript: http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/special/TAL_460_Retraction_Transcript.pdf
Then, this CNN ‘Reliable Sources’ panel discussion is worth a watch:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2012/03/18/rs-apple-tale-posioned-by-lies.cnn
Anything to help clean up Apple’s dirty laundry stay in denial, its no peaceful there.
Who is in denial, Craig?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#Major_customers