Beware The Blog!

The currect issue of Time Out New York, it's Spring Theater Preview Issue, has a section on “20 Dirty Secrets about NY Theater.” #3 is “Beware the blogotainmercial” and states:

“You know that clever theater blog you bookmarked, the one with inside dope on the edgiest shows and artists? Be careful—it might be a PR tool. Marketing departments have offered drama bloggers free seats to write about hipster-skewing plays such as Pig Farm and Dying City. Mind you, theaters don’t demand positive write-ups; they just want the cool-kid buzz. Blogs to trust: George Hunka’s Superfluities, Isaac Butler’s Parabasis and Jaime’s Surplus.”

Now, theater “critics” are given free tickets to review shows all the time. Might that be a PR tool in the hopes of getting a good review and in turn sell more tickets? Say it isn't so! Why is it if bloggers are given free tickets it's morally reprehensible? Establishment Media is scared shitless all the time. First it was the internet. And now that most of them have an on-line presence, along come the bloggs to have them shaking-n-baking all over again. TONY's white list of approved bloggers all are great bloggs. I read them daily. Several of them are also extensions of Establishment Media. So beware that...

Now, that said –

• I don't accept free tickets for shows I write about on Off-Off Blogway. (Mostly because I wish to keep this blogg anonymous and I'd loose the anonymity is I started accepting free tickets. I don't think it's wrong to accept free tickets and write about said show as long as you are honest.)

• I only see shows I want to see.

• I only write about the shows I want to write about, which is most of the shows I see, but not all of them.

• I'll post discount offers if asked because I think theater tickets are generally too expensive.

That's all. Peace out.