Kristin, I've found myself thinking about this a lot lately too, especially in the last 24 hours or so after I learned he was taking a leave of absence. I didn't see CNBC like you did, but even from reading print reports it is obvious that there are passionate, even angry responses to the fact that he is keeping his health situation as private as he can.
The business community and the stock market clearly believe that Apple without Steve Jobs is a completely different animal than Apple with Steve Jobs. While that's very complimentary to him, it also puts even extra pressure on him to be there, in all ways and at all times. That stress can't be good for anyone recovering from anything.
When you have a company on the stock market, when you are a CEO, must you be forthcoming with private health information? If you confide in your board of directors and upper managers -- who are, after all, the ones at the helm of the ship -- must you release the information publicly? Do you own that to a stockholder?
The media is an interesting beast right now. And I say that after having spent more than 20 years working at newspapers. Because of the internet, and the flurry of competing news services, talk shows and even bloggers, the race to be "first" with a story has eclipsed even the race to be accurate. There is no actual "news cycle" right now to speak of, with 24-hour cable news networks and web sites. News almost breaks in a viral manner, and television reporters especially seem to report first, adjust later. I have even heard, on occasion, a news reporter say that a story cannot be confirmed. Well, then don't run it!
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Kristin, I've found myself thinking about this a lot lately too, especially in the last 24 hours or so after I learned he was taking a leave of absence. I didn't see CNBC like you did, but even from reading print reports it is obvious that there are passionate, even angry responses to the fact that he is keeping his health situation as private as he can.
The business community and the stock market clearly believe that Apple without Steve Jobs is a completely different animal than Apple with Steve Jobs. While that's very complimentary to him, it also puts even extra pressure on him to be there, in all ways and at all times. That stress can't be good for anyone recovering from anything.
When you have a company on the stock market, when you are a CEO, must you be forthcoming with private health information? If you confide in your board of directors and upper managers -- who are, after all, the ones at the helm of the ship -- must you release the information publicly? Do you own that to a stockholder?
The media is an interesting beast right now. And I say that after having spent more than 20 years working at newspapers. Because of the internet, and the flurry of competing news services, talk shows and even bloggers, the race to be "first" with a story has eclipsed even the race to be accurate. There is no actual "news cycle" right now to speak of, with 24-hour cable news networks and web sites. News almost breaks in a viral manner, and television reporters especially seem to report first, adjust later. I have even heard, on occasion, a news reporter say that a story cannot be confirmed. Well, then don't run it!
January 15, 2009 - 9:47amThis Comment
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