“In an unprecedented move, Apple granted ABC Nightline full access to its Chinese supply chain,” Mark Gurman reports for TNW. “ABC’s Bill Weir traveled to Shenzhen, China for an exclusive look inside Apple’s supply chain, and ABC provided the following quote from Weir about his trip.”
For years, Apple and Foxconn have been synonymous with monster profits and total secrecy so it was fascinating to wander the iphone and iPod production lines, meet the people who build them and see how they live. Our cameras were rolling when thousands of hopeful applicants rushed the Foxconn gates and I spoke with dozens of line workers and a top executive about everything from hours and pay to the controversies over suicides at the plant and the infamous “jumper nets” that line the factories in Shenzhen. After this trip, I’ll never see an Apple product the same way again.
Gurman reports, “The first look inside Apple’s factories will show on “ABC Nightline” Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 11:35 p.m. EST.”
Read more in the full article here.
Lets see how ABC spins this exclusive provided for them by Apple.
yeah, this reeks of “dealing with the devil.” Hope it doesn’t backfire on .
Since ABC belongs to Disney and the company is in good relationship with Apple (Disney’s head was good with Jobs and is not Apple’s Board member), the video report should not be slanderous against Apple.
That said, while Jobs was alive, ABC did run series of yellow/tabloidish “works of journalism” against Jobs/Apple, despite good relationship between its parent company and Apple.
Your right. ABC News continued to write hit trolling news against Apple even after Mr. Jobs became largest shareholder.
As well they should–if there’s truth to the reporting. Apple aren’t perfect, just very, very good. At least in our eyes. I find it disturbing that some would want an independent media to compromise itself and print or broadcast the stories we’d like to see instead of being objective.
I hate to use this phrase, but fair and balanced reporting might still show Apple in a somewhat negative light, primarily because so many Americans insist on judging Chinese factories by our own local standards. By Chinese standards Foxconn (or at least the portion that makes products for Apple) might be the best, most progressive factories in the entire country and that still won’t matter to many Americans. That said, Apple needs to do this to prove that they have nothing to hide. It’s then incumbent upon them to put the story in the proper context. ABC can’t do that for them. Or at least they shouldn’t…
Why is it not incumbent on any news organization to provide context and perspective? Don’t get that at all.
It will be telling to see how often (if at all) ABC acknowledges that Foxconn assembles electronics devices for many companies other than Apple.
So there’s no way for the media to report on those other factories, presenting the public with a contrast that illustrates how Apple and Foxconn are an improvement over the status quo? Bullshit!
True fair and balanced reporting WOULD show Apple in a positive light. We’ve seen it from publications like Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. It’s the anti-business liberal rags like the NYTimes and ABC News that seek the sensational angle while leaving everything else on the cutting room floor.
Apple’s goals and ABC’s goals aren’t the same. That’s why it’s up to Apple to provide the context. If ABC is fair that’s all that matters. It still won’t matter to most people who will bring their own biases to the story. As I said, Apple are very, very good and an unbiased observer with an understanding of the Chinese market would see this, if they don’t assume everything has to be at American standards.
Perhaps that makes what I’m saying a bit clearer?
Ahh, but telling only part of the truth is what many of the “News” channels do to push their agenda.
They say, “we didn’t lie”, but they very carefully leave out important facts to create the FUD they want.
Here is a very simple example:
“Billy was dead last in the race!”
“Billy was a close second in the race.”
Which one is correct?
They both are. There were only two people in the race.
News organizations have teams of people to do nothing but this very careful wording, knowing 99% of the people never read past the headline.
The bigger story is communist China allowing the Western media access to the “sorid underbelly of sweatshop labor camps”. The story won’t be focused on the lack of transparency by Apple, it will be how Apple and China are working together to set the bar higher than it has ever been before our own post-industrial revolution.
They’ll point to how Hon Hai has expanded on their successful operations in Shenzen by moving their cookie-cutter operation to South America and how the world should applaud China for embracing Western business ethics and *cough* respecting IP.
If China and the American indians ever decided to open trade relations with one another under sovereign nation status, the indians could open huge manufacturing operations here in America and hire anyone willing to work for ten-dollars an hour and live in a studio apartment that includes paid utilities, cable and internet, and health care for life. Oh, and thirty-days paid vacation each year.
Dorm living, or barracks living as it were, was the same.
The private sectors in both nations should sidestep the American government and give each other unprecedented access to each other’s resources.
Chinese manufacturing on Indian land would put millions of people to work but the downside is it coukd take fifty-years to bring them in line with OSHA. In the meantime, everyone is getting filthy rich and the Christians would be recruiting souls in the name of God, and our government can go back to what it does best, Protection.
are you insane, the pakistanis will be very upset that the indians are getting all those benefits
ABC has titled the story “Inside Apple”, not “Inside Foxconn” so it’s clear to me how they’re spinning it.
what is the A5X processor in the iPAD3 mean?
Abc is owned by Disney , the Disney ceo is on the board of Apple
Steve was the largest shareholder of Disney .
I would be surprised if this is a hatchet job….
A deal with the devil if there ever was one. Cook thinks that by warming up to these bloodsuckers that he might get a fairer shake. If he doesn’t wise up after this ABC hatchet job, my confidence in his leadership will plummet. Jobs never would’ve allowed this nonsense.
So sayeth the expert. Why should anyone pay any attention to your opinion?
I concur…Steve-O would never have allowed this bs.
I’m not so sure, when the concocted antenagate sht hit the ar waves, he allowed the public a rare glimpse of Apple’s anechoic cambers ad engineering labs…
yeah, good point…forgot about that.
Let’s see how this turns out before jumping to “hatchet job” conclusions, R2. I will be satisfied if the ABC is reasonably impartial, even if it is unflattering to Foxconn and, by extension, Apple and all of the other companies that contract with Foxconn.
“After this trip, I’ll never see an Apple product the same way again.”
I don’t like the sound of that.
Mght go to Apple’s remarkable effort…
Touch…
I’m not so sure, when the concocted antenagate shit hit the air waves, he allowed the public a rare glimpse of Apple’s anechoic chambers and engineering labs…
In a normal world with real reporters and news companies that have integrity, then I would look forward to this special.
But I’m sorry, all the print and TV media over the last 30 years have done everything they can to show NO integrity, total bias and will outright lie to get their way.
I have serious doubts about this. Even Apple would be powerless to fix anything bad that ABC says. News media conveniently step behind the “freedom of press” bullshit when trying to sue them.
I think it’s foolhardy to question Cook’s decision. He promised complete transparency. Obviously, he knows a bit more about Apple’s operations and supply chain than anyone posting here. Personally, I think ABC will give Apple a balanced report.
Bob Eiger- Disney Chairman (Owner of ABC), former Head of ABC Television is also an Apple Board Member. Assumed position upon ouster of Michael Eisner with a stiff shove by Steve Jobs over Pixar distribution deal renewal.
Steve Jobs (Dec)- Former Disney Board Member, Founder, former CEO and Chairman of Apple.
Jobs Estate- Largest single shareholder of Disney.
You expect anything controversial from such an incestuous relationship? Look at how Apple PR has cold shouldered the New York Times over a well documented and reported series on this very issue. It’s well known that Apple likes fanbois- not hard nosed journalists.
Amazing just how many dumb asses are going to watch this. As if they gave a rats ass how all their stuff is made they buy at Walmart, JC Penney, Best Buys, etc.
Hypocrites, morons, buffoons, jack asses, mostly.