Last days of the embargo

Google's recent disclosure, that the search company was to allow employees to trade their options, was a classic exercise in media management. A heads-up to the respectable press, under a non-disclosure agreement and embargo; pre-briefed experts, supposedly independent, made available to reporters; and then simultaneous publication in papers such as the New York Times and the LA Times, all carrying much the same spin. Google and other big tech companies should enjoy their power to corral the press, because it's not going to last. First of all, because the mechanics of traditional public relations are under scrutiny; the terms of the embargo were leaked to blog Google Watch, which has embarrassed the newspapers by pointing out how few strayed off the reservation. What's more, a new generation of newspaper bosses is sick of Silicon Valley's claustrophobically cosy relationship with the reporters that cover the sector. Keep an eye on the Wall Street Journal, the most powerful institution in business media. If it begins to defy embargoes, the rest of the business and tech press will follow.

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