http://www.RexBlog.com/2006/12/12/16336?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reporters-inability-to-interpret-statistics-is-sky-rocketing Rex Hammock's Blog Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.RexBlog.com/2006/12/12/16336/comment-page-1#comment-9601 rexblog.com: Rex Hammock’s weblog » Blog Archive » The Scoble 24-hour rule as it relates to iTunes sales figures Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:38:43 +0000 http://www.rexblog.com/2006/12/12/16336/#comment-9601 [...] Yesterday, I pointed out how a statistics-challenged reporter had mangled the extrapolation of a model-challenged analysis that included the logic-defying claim that iTunes sales dropped by 65% in the first half of 2006. As I’ve said here ad nauseum, giving reporters statistics is like handing a loaded pistol to a three-year-old. (Actually, I haven’t said that, but things like that.) The notion that iTunes sales could have dropped by 65% and a Forrester analyst would be the person to uncover it (and not, for example, being discovered by record companies screaming over why their revenues from Apple had fallen by 65%) is enough to make your BS-dar ping. Despite the dubious nature of the statistic, so-called news services picked it up. [...] [...] Yesterday, I pointed out how a statistics-challenged reporter had mangled the extrapolation of a model-challenged analysis that included the logic-defying claim that iTunes sales dropped by 65% in the first half of 2006. As I’ve said here ad nauseum, giving reporters statistics is like handing a loaded pistol to a three-year-old. (Actually, I haven’t said that, but things like that.) The notion that iTunes sales could have dropped by 65% and a Forrester analyst would be the person to uncover it (and not, for example, being discovered by record companies screaming over why their revenues from Apple had fallen by 65%) is enough to make your BS-dar ping. Despite the dubious nature of the statistic, so-called news services picked it up. [...]

]]> http://www.RexBlog.com/2006/12/12/16336/comment-page-1#comment-9599 Facts get in the way of a good story » Mathew Ingram: mathewingram.com/work Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:44:16 +0000 http://www.rexblog.com/2006/12/12/16336/#comment-9599 [...] Is this something unique to online media or the blogosphere? Hardly. Newspapers and TV networks do this kind of thing all the time. Staci at PaidContent is right that Rex Hammock had the best line: “Reporters’ inability to interpret statistics is ’sky-rocketing’.” [...] [...] Is this something unique to online media or the blogosphere? Hardly. Newspapers and TV networks do this kind of thing all the time. Staci at PaidContent is right that Rex Hammock had the best line: “Reporters’ inability to interpret statistics is ’sky-rocketing’.” [...]

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