FTC Sets Endorsement Rules for Blogs—Trescott Apology Tour Begins

While surfing the internet, I read an update on the David Letterman blackmail sex scandal. The key takeaway for me was that Steve Martin and Martin Short are on the show, so I’ll be watching tonight when I otherwise wouldn’t have—so that’s good for Letterman’s ratings. Is the next step for him to start an Apology Tour with...

appearances on other talk shows to apologize for his behavior? Probably not, but hold that thought for a moment.

The next story I read was a Washington Post article about an FTC announcement that bloggers who offer endorsements must now disclose any payments they’ve received or face penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. I’d previously concluded that full disclosure was the only ethical path, should some corporation choose to shower me in cash. However, in reviewing my past blog articles, I realized that I failed to uphold my own journalism ethics standards. Hence, the Trescott Apology Tour begins

Why hold an Apology Tour over my trivial oversights, when the FTC rules only took effect today and don’t apply to my past blog articles? Candidly, I’ve become somewhat suspect of the Apology Tours of top celebrities after they’ve behaved badly. I've noticed that past tours for Don Imus, Kanye West and Michael Vick seemed to have only brought them more publicity. Believing the old Hollywood saw that “Any publicity is good publicity,” I had been scouring my past for misdeeds for which I could be contrite and go on my own Apology Tour. I’m shooting for the Tonight Show and Oprah; I just hope I can cry on cue.

So here are my full disclosures as required by the FTC. I wrote a very complimentary story about Sportys after I visited them this past Spring. I even paid my own airfare, hotel room and rental car. However, in the interest of full disclosure here is true Confession #1: I failed to disclose that I didn’t pay for the 3 hotdogs that I ate while visiting. Hopefully you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. After all, every Saturday Hal offers free hotdogs and has served over 165,000—but I didn’t eat any of those. [close up of Max: tears starting to well up]

I also wrote an article about Flying Drunk, a book written by a member of the drunk Northwest crew that flew a 727 full of passengers, was arrested, and served time in Federal prison. One of the fun things about being a blogger is occasionally getting an email from a publishing company asking if you’d like to review a book. Confession #2: I said yes, and they sent me a free copy of the book. And I failed to mention in my article that I didn’t pay for the book. [tearing begins and I pull out a Kleenex]

I wrote an article about the Aspen Avionics EFD 1000 Pro, a device that I found incredibly remarkable for it’s price. I was deeply impressed and would have written the same words regardless of circumstances. Like any smart blogger, I contacted Aspen Avionics to see if they might have a demo aircraft I could fly at Sun ‘n Fun. Alas they didn’t have an aircraft available, so they referred me to a local aircraft owner in my area who has an Aspen installed in his Bonanza. Confession #3: Aspen offered to pay for the gas for the flight and he didn’t turn them down! [tears streaming down my face]

Interestingly, I’ve received several free inexpensive products that were totally unsolicited and I haven’t written about any of them. It’s not that I won’t write about some of them. Rather I’ve been constrained for time the past few months as I finished my new GPS and WAAS Instrument Flying Handbook and the 4th edition of my G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook, coming out in late October. Yes I’ve written about both of my books in the past. And I may have failed to mention that I actually receive money when people buy books I've written. [sobbing uncontrollably, gasping for breath]

Finally, I want my readers to know that if Cirrus ever gives me a free SR22T with Perspective, FIKI and EVS (I’d prefer the red paint scheme if they’re reading this) or if Cessna ever chooses to give me a free 400 Corvalis TT with the TKS option installed (paint scheme of their choice—they’re all beautiful)—I promise to disclose those facts. I feel better all ready. Now I can't wait for the overnight Nielson ratings to come out. I want to see if the Trescott Apology Tour brought more readers to this blog.

Comments

[Steve]

Nice post, Max. I'm sure you'll be FTC-free for years to come now! :)

[Jack Vandeventer]

Max, Please put Indy Exec (TYQ) on your schedule for the Apology Tour if all your date are not firm yet. We have a conference room and are also willing to open the hangar presentation deck for your segments. Please let me know if you need one or two days to make your formal apology and appropriate groveling.

All the best and a good chuckle too.
Regards, Jack
J.W. Vandeventer, Ph.D., C.P.M., MCFI

[Doug]

In order to aid you in your "coming clean" of past wrong doings, Sporty's can have an invoice sent for the three hotdogs, but we will need the following information to further itemize the charges:
Type of hotdog and quantity
Condiments used and quantity (in grams)
Number of napkins used
Amount of oil rental car dripped in the parking lot (will show as a credit)

[Jim]

It is so nice to hear these ethics violators being outed. I commend you for being the first to "self" out. For that I believe you can put it all behind you if you return the hot dogs in whatever form they are currently in. Thanks for making me smile...

[Ron Carmichael EAA62]

Max, you forgot to mention that you got a free hot dog dinner (including chips, salad and a drink) for spending 2 hours giving a talk on safety to our EAA 62 Chapter ( not to mention the prep time and gas getting to the meeting). As a 501c3 organization, we need FULL DISCLOSURE!

[Ken Lane]

Thanks to Max and the FTC, all Sporty's hot dogs must now be charged for. How can Hal ever know when one of those beneficiaries of his hot dogs may be there on a journalistic mission? Soon, there will be an extra dollar charge per order if you wish to be entered on the sweepstakes.

Where will the madness end?!?!?

And Max, if you help get about six birds sold, Mooney may kick that seventh over to ya. ;-)

[Max Trescott]

Jack, I'm happy to put Indy Exec on the Apology Tour. However, I suspect your motive is to get a G1000 or WAAS seminar out of it--not to hear me apologize for anything!
Doug, I can see why you're so successful at Sporty's. Still, I can't believe you're going to charge me for 5 month old hotdogs. The credit for the oil sounds good--except that I didn't leak any!
Jim, Ron and Ken--I'm seeing a common theme: Max can be bought for the price of a hotdog!
Readers: Ken's comment about the Mooney is a followup to the comment he posted on my Facebook page: "So, you'll take a Cirrus over a Mooney Type S?" I responded "I accept your offer of a Mooney--when can I expect to receive it?" Just to be clear, I promise to make full disclosure about ANY model of aircraft a manufacturer might choose to give me (end of dream sequence).