Apple News, Analysis and Podcasts

Steve Jobs took center stage this week at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, unveiling Apple's new iPad 2. Some bloggers, such as Paul Thurrot, mention Jobs physical appearance, while others left Steve Jobs health off the table. Clearly, Wall Street dinged Apple's stock price on the news that Jobs would be taking another leave of absence. However, his appearance, along side the iPad 2 launch, gave investors confidence to once again to pour big dollars back into the company.  

But where is the line in commenting on and covering Steve Jobs health? Is it any business of yours? Is it any business of mine? The answers are diverse and it could be situational.

First, let's start with the rubber-neckers, those people that slowly drive by car accidents looking for something they would really rather not see. It's those that watch the news out of fascination and curiosity. The public may want Apple products to stay cool and fresh and believe it's tied to Jobs staying at Apple and being healthy, but that has no bearing on whether that gives anyone the right to delve in and snoop into how Steve Jobs liver is doing today. Love himor hate him, it's really none of this massive swath of people's business as to what is Jobs state of health.

Then there's the media. The quality of reporting is broad and many are trolling around for the sake of pulling in readers pure numbers sake, driving many journalists to very low levels of ethical behavior. This is where many in the art of journalism choose to make news, not report it. Reporting new events of Jobs health is fine, but berating an individual or spinning information is deplorable to say the least. The media will do what they choose to do, it's everyone else's responsibility to ignore the bad and reward the good.

Lastly, there are the shareholders of Apple, Inc. The owners' right to know the health of their executive team versus the right to privacy of those executives is heading towards a full-on collision. To-date, Apple has allowed Jobs to maintain an amazing amount of privacy during his battle with cancer. That's great for Steve and what he personally desires, but Apple, Inc. is its own legal entity and has a right to know how its leader is fairing. As of now, succession plans are unknown, as is Jobs ability to lead today, tomorrow or any future length of time. Millions has their financial stakes in Apple's future, and these shareholders have a right to know where its company is going from the top down.

Jobs holds the reigns tight, with a loyal board and executives around him. Therefore, the status of Jobs future with Apple is likely to remain unknown for the foreseeable future. If you personally route for Steve Jobs, then he's got the wind at his back. If you route for Apple, Inc. then you likely worry why the board is not more communicative to its owners. One thing should be clear, regardless of who needs to be involved, we should all wish Steve our very best.

4 Comments

1. Bob Forsberg ~ March 6, 2011 03:44
   Steve's health is Steve's business...leave it alone.
2. B W Giggson ~ March 6, 2011 07:47
   I agree with Bob. Steve's health is his business. It may be "interesting" to others but should be kept separate from his work at Apple.
3. laila kolodny ~ March 6, 2011 17:18
   Well, we ask our President to tell us his health report, why not Jobs if we are investors?
4. Viswakarma ~ March 6, 2011 21:53
   Wall Street Gamblers are a miniscule part of the Public that buys Apple's Products. Steve Jobs sets the Vision and there are Thousands Apple Employees that develop products to execute the Vision. Most people like Steve Jobs (an example is India's Jamsetji Tata who set the vision in late 1800s for the successful and ever expanding Tata Group) set this Vision for Apple in 1984. It is easier for the Internet Technical Pundits and the Wall Street Gamblers to focus on a person and write about to hoodwink the Gullible, rather than spend time and energy to present a cogent picture. The only people who do this are John Gruber and Dan Eran Dilger. The others come up with sensational headlines to get hits and get ad revenues!!!

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