Microsoft's Xbox 360 'bribery' makes journalists squirm

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 ‘bribery’ makes journalists squirm

“Yes, Microsoft basically bribed the press,” writes Stephen C. Webster in a post on the True/Slant blog that has been getting broader attention in business journalism circles.

Strong words. To me bribery requires that bribing be the intent, and I doubt Microsoft went into this thinking “I know, we’ll bribe the press into writing good things about us by giving them Xbox 360s.”

I’m guessing the thought process was more like: “wouldn’t it be cool if we pulled an Oprah and gave something cool to the audience?”