I read quite a few food blogs (see the list next to my blog on the right). Recently, I noted that one blog I was reading was plugging Anthony Bourdain’s show, No Reservations, on a regular basis. The descriptions were always written in the first person, but then I noticed in the comments that the author stated he was simply publishing exactly what he received from the producers of the show. I had a hunch and decided to do a quick search for some key phrases, like “rides in a tri-shaw.”
Some of the bloggers I noticed quoted the blurb from the producers as a true quote, others ran the blurb as their own post, and others created their own copy but used supplied phrases. If you have time, check out some of the posts to see what I mean:
- Tony Bourdain – Sri Lanka! by Waiter Rant
- No Reservations – Sri Lanka by Real Television
- Monday on No Reservations – Sri Lanka by Barefoot Plumies
- No Reservations Sri Lanka by Esther’s Kitchen
- Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Goes to Sri Lanka by Reviews of Restaurants and Places to Eat[…]
- Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Sri Lanka by So Much More Than A Mom
- I need a luxury vacation! by Champagne Living
- The Sri Lanka Report[…] by federal prisoner 30664
- Anthony Bourdain In Sri Lanka by The Phantom Darkroom
I think finding posts like this illustrates how carefully one needs to read what people write. You never know if someone is merely republishing a press release, or even worse, regurgitating a press release without citing the original sources. I would be more inclined to watch the show if I thought people were giving passionate, true opinions.
Ironically, I’m pushing up the search rankings and readership of these blogs by linking to them.
Nice bit of investigative reporting – I think you did more work compiling this than any of the individual bloggers did.
Hi-I post about “No Reservations” because I LIKE the show-sometimes I just quote parts of the original sneak previews sent to my blog-sometimes I’ll throw in my own stuff. I receive no compensation for doing this-and it’s totally optional on my part. I just like posting them, and have no problem freely promoting a show I enjoy.
Steve
Not that much investigating…
I did explain in my first post that the info was coming from the travel channel PR group….
http://somuchmorethanamom.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/anthony-bourdain-new-season-starts-monday/
I also posted about that again on a recent post…
http://somuchmorethanamom.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/anthony-bourdain-no-reservations-sri-lanka/
I posted the weekly PR stuff because I enjoy the show and they asked if I wouldn’t mind doing it, that’s it. Sometimes I added some of my own quotes and commentary, sometimes I didn’t. Once I ran my own contest revolving around one of his shows.
I haven’t received any extra traffic from your post but if I do….thank you!