Receiving fire at the front line

Dallas Morning News | Scott Burns:

“I wanted to be on the front line of reporting a challenge to commonly accepted financial planning practices. Even more, I wanted to be on the front line of introducing a better idea: consumption smoothing. To do it, I enlisted Boston University economist Larry Kotlikoff, a prime mover in the field, to co-author the columns. I've followed his research for more than a decade, and we wrote a book together, The Coming Generational Storm. He had also created the first software powerful enough to do the required computation. I don't have a financial stake in that software. He does. Sadly, his financial interest caused some readers to see the column series as an ‘infomercial.’ If you are one of those readers, I can assure you that our intention was to advance an idea. It was not to sell software.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Mr Burns is plugging a book. Mr Kotlikoff is plugging a book and software. Mr Burns implies that it's ok to plug a book and software in a series of newspaper columns if you really believe in the product. As if Ronco doesn't think that Vegamatic really is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Look, what Mr Burns plugs is between him, The Dallas Morning News and his syndicator. I just wish he wouldn't pretend he's doing something else. Mr Burns shouldn't be embarrassed. Every media outlet from NBC's The Apprentice to ABC's Extreme Makeover has turned the infomercial into halfway respectable entertainment. By some accounts, product placement is a $4.25 billion business. So, plug away. Especially if you really believe in what you're selling.