The Business Press: Information or Infotainment?

Sam Whitmore continues to prove his worth to the PR community with this li'l nugget:

You can find a larger version of it here. Sam makes a very interesting point about the business press, which is worthy of debate. Since you might not be able to read the text above, let me quote Sam directly:
"Did you notice where business magazines fall? In theory they appeal to results-minded senior execs, but journalistically they border on entertainment vehicles. Agencies, be sure to educate your clients about this."
Sam makes an interesting point, and I give him credit for the contrarian stance - but, I think he may be too quick to discount the credibility boom that can come with a client's emergence in the business media.

Face it: when you visit a company's website and see a great BusinessWeek article, you instantly give the company credit for being more reputable, viable, worthy of consideration, etc. Being viewed as more credible and viable provides a greater likelihood of business success.

I do think that the landscape is changing, and that alternative forms of media will gain prominence in the purchase decision (all hail the blogosphere!), but it remains to be seen how and when this sea change ripples through the CIO's office.