23 Comments »To say that the Lesley Stahl’s profile of Mark Zuckerberg tonight on 60 Minutes was “groundbreaking” would be a great exaggeration. Hell, to me, the most groundbreaking discovery of the entire interview was the fact that Zuckerberg owns a nice pair of leather driving moccasins. Sure, she asked some tough questions about Beacon, IPO and leadership worries, but the entire discussion was controlled and filtered by his PR machine, notably Brandee Barker, Head of Corporate Communications.
She did an AMAZING job of prepping Zuckerberg for what to say and what not to say. With the exception of Zuckerberg’s awkward or funny response (depending upon which camp you’re in) of “Was that a question?” to Stahl’s statement, “You’re being compared to the Google guys,” the interview left a lot, and I mean, a lot of unanswered questions about how Facebook will begin to make a viable chunk of change.
Although the company makes somewhere near $200+ million in revenue a year, has a staff of 400 in offices throughout California, New York, Chicago and London, and more importantly, has enough in the bank to begin the so-called “next revolution of the Internet,” Facebook is still much of a mystery to many within the industry when it comes to an actual business-model for developers and (down the road) us. (For more information about Facebook’s real problem and the relation to Google’s early days as a business platform, read Dave McClure’s post about monetization and corresponding solutions.)
Overall, I think 60 Minutes did a good job at showcasing what Facebook is, how it works and some of the recent controversy surrounding the site. But I wanted to know more. Here’s some of the questions I would have asked Zuckerberg:
- Does DataPortability.org ring any bells?
- How do you and Steve Ballmer get a long? “Steve and Zuck kissing in a tree, k.i.s.s.i.n.g…”
- What’s the progress like for fbFund?
- Do you feel your company is heading down the road AOL before the first bubble burst?
- Lastly, can I come over for some keg parties on Thursday in the office?
What do you think should have been asked?
Dave - here are my live notes:
http://www.centernetworks.com/facebook-zuckerbe...
I think your questions are good ones, but this was more of an infomercial than anything - probably to make 60M look hip?
The average American would have no idea what dataportability is nor cares.
I do agree that Lesley should have pushed the advertising and revenue a bit more. Would also have been good to see him sweat a little.
I think he should have been asked if he sees the future of Facebook as the standard platform for the web as Windows is for the PC.
and um…
Kara Swisher should DEFINITELY have been left out of that interview. What the hell was she doing there anyway? She's a total moron.
I would have liked a follow up question regarding what Zuckerberg thinks he can do that a CEO over the age of 23 could not.
Dave - here are my live notes:
http://www.centernetworks.com/facebook-zuckerberg-on-60-minutes
I think your questions are good ones, but this was more of an infomercial than anything - probably to make 60M look hip?
The average American would have no idea what dataportability is nor cares.
I do agree that Lesley should have pushed the advertising and revenue a bit more. Would also have been good to see him sweat a little.
I think he should have been asked if he sees the future of Facebook as the standard platform for the web as Windows is for the PC.
and um…
Kara Swisher should DEFINITELY have been left out of that interview. What the hell was she doing there anyway? She’s a total moron.
I would have liked a follow up question regarding what Zuckerberg thinks he can do that a CEO over the age of 23 could not.
Great article Dave!
You have some excellent questions here, but remember, this is 60 Minutes where most of the audience has no idea what Facebook is. The fact that 60 Minutes even did the story, and the level of detail they went into for a mainstream audience, is what's “groundbreaking” for me.
Besides, what did you really expect Mark to say? In repeated public appearances, he and the company reveal very little. So yes, kudos to Brandee and her team. It's a real coup for Facebook.
Great article Dave!
You have some excellent questions here, but remember, this is 60 Minutes where most of the audience has no idea what Facebook is. The fact that 60 Minutes even did the story, and the level of detail they went into for a mainstream audience, is what’s “groundbreaking” for me.
Besides, what did you really expect Mark to say? In repeated public appearances, he and the company reveal very little. So yes, kudos to Brandee and her team. It’s a real coup for Facebook.
[...] Minutes’s Lesley Stahl profiled Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. Dave Ambrose suggests the ‘entire discussion was controlled and filtered by his PR machine.’ Dave [...]
[...] Coverage could be found on TechCrunch, Mashable, All Facebook, WebProNews and CenterNetworks. addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Ftechnozzle.com%2F%3Fp%3D37′; [...]
employee spying on or manipulating customer's accounts, how big a back door hole is available to the feds, your point on facebook as big brother, does he believe in implanting rfid chips in people connected directly to facebook pages….
the list is long of what i would ask him
employee spying on or manipulating customer’s accounts, how big a back door hole is available to the feds, your point on facebook as big brother, does he believe in implanting rfid chips in people connected directly to facebook pages….
the list is long of what i would ask him
That interview was just softball after softball — a sad excuse for journalism. Stahl came off as ignorant and uninformed (what, there was never a young CEO of a tech startup before?). I would have had the exact same response as Zuckerberg to some of the questions (*bling* … *blink* … *silence*), but would have probably chewed her out a bit more. Stahl not only asked dumb questions, but refused to interview anyone of significance for a different point of view. Why didn't she get the opinion of those that are suing Zuckerberg? Or just people that wouldn't play to her ill-thought out prompts (”Is Facebook the next Google?”).
The worst part is that I had to sit through the preceding 60 minutes expose on tuna fishing.
The purpose of the interview was to introduce Facebook to the Geritol crowd that typically watches 60 minutes. It's probably the VCR'd show on TV. I didn't expect in-depth critique of issues that would be considered arcane and esoteric to a 63 year old just hearing about Facebook for the first time. I'd guess the reason Zuck chose 60 minutes is that they just don't know enough about Facebook to ask the hard questions.
Mark, please wear socks. Going sockless is unsanitary.
That interview was just softball after softball — a sad excuse for journalism. Stahl came off as ignorant and uninformed (what, there was never a young CEO of a tech startup before?). I would have had the exact same response as Zuckerberg to some of the questions (*bling* … *blink* … *silence*), but would have probably chewed her out a bit more. Stahl not only asked dumb questions, but refused to interview anyone of significance for a different point of view. Why didn’t she get the opinion of those that are suing Zuckerberg? Or just people that wouldn’t play to her ill-thought out prompts (”Is Facebook the next Google?”).
The worst part is that I had to sit through the preceding 60 minutes expose on tuna fishing.
The purpose of the interview was to introduce Facebook to the Geritol crowd that typically watches 60 minutes. It’s probably the VCR’d show on TV. I didn’t expect in-depth critique of issues that would be considered arcane and esoteric to a 63 year old just hearing about Facebook for the first time. I’d guess the reason Zuck chose 60 minutes is that they just don’t know enough about Facebook to ask the hard questions.
Mark, please wear socks. Going sockless is unsanitary.
Lesley should have asked him to explain his business card “CEO…bitch”.
Lesley should have asked him to explain his business card “CEO…bitch”.
@allen your notes were a big help when i wrote this last night. i think it was valleywag/kara today who posted stats from the show last night. pretty miserable if they were trying to look hip
@scott i think this is something that charlene does a great job at detailing in her post from this afternoon, http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2008/01/f...
@jonathan sweet! thanks man!
@charlene true. what kind of viewpoint did you expect coming from a site titled “All Facebook.” my obsession borders on unhealthy…maybe even worse than Dave McClure's :). in all seriousness though, i agree with your comment about google v. FB.
@gregory the spying part is NOT that of a big deal IMO. i know of people at different social network sites that do this all the time. it's a “benefit” of the company. that's a great question about the enormous amounts of data before the govt. kind of eerie the amount of power zuck could leverage if he wanted.
@danny “Stahl not only asked dumb questions, but refused to interview anyone of significance for a different point of view.” i don't know about dumb, but i agree with you completely when it comes to another side. you're right too about the ignorance when it comes to young guns out west.
@TK “I’d guess the reason Zuck chose 60 minutes is that they just don’t know enough about Facebook to ask the hard questions.” i noticed on twitter last night that there were some awesome reporters out there offering some groundbreaking coverage, i.e. ben kessler: http://twitter.com/Fourbin/statuses/595913372. also, about the socks deal, he's following suit with the westchester crowd. they only roll with fine italian leather driving mocs.
@anon i'd love to see a picture of that
@allen your notes were a big help when i wrote this last night. i think it was valleywag/kara today who posted stats from the show last night. pretty miserable if they were trying to look hip
@scott i think this is something that charlene does a great job at detailing in her post from this afternoon, http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2008/01/facebook-recap.html
@jonathan sweet! thanks man!
@charlene true. what kind of viewpoint did you expect coming from a site titled “All Facebook.” my obsession borders on unhealthy…maybe even worse than Dave McClure’s :). in all seriousness though, i agree with your comment about google v. FB.
@gregory the spying part is NOT that of a big deal IMO. i know of people at different social network sites that do this all the time. it’s a “benefit” of the company. that’s a great question about the enormous amounts of data before the govt. kind of eerie the amount of power zuck could leverage if he wanted.
@danny “Stahl not only asked dumb questions, but refused to interview anyone of significance for a different point of view.” i don’t know about dumb, but i agree with you completely when it comes to another side. you’re right too about the ignorance when it comes to young guns out west.
@TK “I’d guess the reason Zuck chose 60 minutes is that they just don’t know enough about Facebook to ask the hard questions.” i noticed on twitter last night that there were some awesome reporters out there offering some groundbreaking coverage, i.e. ben kessler: http://twitter.com/Fourbin/statuses/595913372. also, about the socks deal, he’s following suit with the westchester crowd. they only roll with fine italian leather driving mocs.
@anon i’d love to see a picture of that
[...] year old CEO Mark Zuckerberg, “Beacon needs work“. You can learn more about Mark in his recent interview with 60 Minutes. Colleague Charlene Li was one of the experts interviewed in the segment, she recaps on her blog. [...]