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On Breaking the Harry Potter Embargo

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 02:24:51 PM EST
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No spoilers here...

On CNN's Reliable Sources this morning, Howard Kurtz and his guests discussed how newspapers and internet sites broke the embargo over the release of the new Harry Potter book. His guests were outraged, calling the leaks "immoral" and "unethical."

Since I don't care about Harry Potter, I have been trying to put this in context of something I do care about, to see if I would have the same reaction as Howard's guests.

What if newspapers and internet sites had leaked the ending to the Sopranos?

I would have been livid at being told the Sopranos' ending before it aired, especially if I hadn't gone looking for it -- for example, if I happened to click on a leaking article or website which didn't put at the top in bold, big letters, "spoiler alert...ending revealed" or something to that effect.

But, what if the sites all contained the spoiler alert? Is it still ethical or immoral to write about the ending?

And who has the ethical and moral right to demand the ending be shielded, the author/series creator or the readers/viewers?

Good questions. Who's got answers?

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    On Breaking the Harry Potter Embargo | 5 comments (5 topical)

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    There's only one way... (none / 0) (#1)
    by rdandrea on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 02:41:23 PM EST
    ...to deal with journalists who break an embargo, which is, after all, just a gentleman's agreement.

    The way to deal with them is to make sure someone else gets the story next time.  There may not be a "next time" for the Sopranos or Harry Potter, but there certainly will be for something else.  Journalists like being able to write their stories early so that they're in good shape by deadline.  If any reporter violates an embargo, they shouldn't get the privilege next time.  Let them sweat the deadline.

    And if authors and publishers are afraid to snub an embargo-breaking reporter because they'll miss out on a little free advertising, then they are just whining and deserve whatever they get.

    Well, now ... (none / 0) (#2)
    by chemoelectric on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 03:58:17 PM EST
    ... fiction is better, anyway, if it benefits from knowing the ending, so that you are prepared to notice the fine points. I'm not losing any sleep over this issue, and I don't care whether the book earns 2 jillion dollars or only 1.8 jillion dollars.

    It's a matter of manners, not ethics (none / 0) (#3)
    by roy on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 05:13:33 PM EST
    Besides, the book's been out for almost two days now.  All the real fans have already finished it.

    all the real fans (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jen M on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 05:15:19 PM EST
    who can afford the book

    Parent
    Of course the films the NYT doesn't (none / 0) (#5)
    by oculus on Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 05:37:01 PM EST
    review pre-release are bombs; the film maker doesn't provide an advance copy.  Most books--who would notice though.  

    On Breaking the Harry Potter Embargo | 5 comments (5 topical)

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