Video: Dan Lyons takes on CNBC’s Jim Goldman over Steve Jobs’ health

January 14, 2009 | Jordan Golson | Comments |

Newsweek columnist Dan Lyons takes CNBC’s Silicon Valley bureau chief Jim Goldman to task after Goldman swore that sources told him that Steve Jobs’ health was not the reason Apple marketing head Phil Schiller presented at Macworld instead of Jobs.

Goldman went so far as to slam Gizmodo after the gadget blog claimed its own sources said Jobs was having significant health problems. “Until Apple says something different, or I get my hands on something tangible and trustworthy, I’m taking the company at its word.”

Sorry Jim, it doesn’t work that way. As Dan Lyons noted in the following clip, “there are two kinds of reporters who cover Apple. The kind who realize they’re getting snowed and they’re getting bullied and blocked out, and realize that a lot of what they’re being told is not true — and the other kind, who suck up in order to get access and end up getting played and punked. Like your Valley bureau chief got played and punked by Apple.” After that snub at Goldman, the CNBC anchors circle the wagons — but Lyons is having none of it.

Enjoy the show — and I doubt we’ll see Lyons back on CNBC for a while. Silicon Alley Insider says he’s been banned for life from the business net. CNBC had not returned my calls at press time.

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About the Author, Jordan Golson

I'm a freelance tech writer based in Boston.

  • Eric
    I love the 5 box shouting match crap. It's one of the main reasons why I canceled cable long ago. That being said, Dan Lyons really goes after Goldman and makes him look (and sound) whiny and ill informed. Which, he was.
  • Hope Steve gets better soon, but I disagree with how the whole situation was handled. (1) We’re Apple shareholders being kept in the dark regarding the condition of Steve for too long? (2) And did the letter he issued last week disclose the seriousness of the issue at hand? Yes, shareholders were kept in the dark for too long on even the ware abouts of Mr. Jobs. Until he issued the letter, the news space was buzzing about his health and overall disappearance from public appearance (except for Yogurt) for 6 weeks. This on top of the fact that it has been since June 2008 that no one was able to receive any answers as to why he had lost so much weight. To answer the second question, no, the letter he issued did not express the seriousness of the issue, nor did it hint that he was on his way out. The letter promised that he would have no more to say about his health, implying that his condition was stable enough that it would not need to be addressed again….http://tinycomb.com/2009/01/14/apple-shareholders-misled-in-jobs-dilemma/
  • Jim Goldman doesn't know shit about technology. Just checkout his absurd tech 09' prediction.

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/27894341
  • Wow, quite a few of those are actually some really bad predictions.