When tech industries are dumb
In one of those moments where an IT person realizes that most folks don't live in the same world we know is possible, I ran into the first case of a conference turning down my request for a press pass in 16 years today.
I'm at Bio 2003 in Washington, D.C. for InnovationWorld and was actually told by the press office that "online publications aren't the same as paper publications and so we don't let them in." This was an elaborate way of avoiding the question I was raising, which is why they had turned down my request before the show and neglected to answer my query about why a research newsletter with a $12,000 a year subscription price doesn't qualify for a press pass to the exhibits at a show hosted by a trade organization desperate for coverage of member companies.
But they seriously stuck to their argument that an online publication isn't worth the same treatment as a paper publication. I pointed out that paper is less efficient, less timely and largely superfluous for organizations that are organizing on a global basis -- exactly the kinds of companies that attend Bio 2003.
It is truly ironic that a technology dependent industry like biotechnology should have a trade organization that doesn't see the value in an publication delivered electronically. Wierd. But all of us tech folks need to remember that this is the norm for most organizations -- I'm just surprised to find it here.
Posted by Mitch Ratcliffe at June 23, 2003 10:54 AM | TrackBack