Jobs tells Times: No cancer
Joe Nocera buried his lead.
The New York Times columnist — and former Fortune editor — waited until the end of Saturday's 1,700-word "Talking Business" column about the health of Apple's CEO and the secrecy that surrounds it to reveal that on Thursday afternoon, several hours after he'd gotten his final “Steve’s health is a private matter” from Apple's public relations machine, he got a call from Steve Jobs himself.
“This is Steve Jobs,” he began. “You think I’m an arrogant [expletive] who thinks he’s above the law, and I think you’re a slime bucket who gets most of his facts wrong.”
Jobs, according to Nocera, said he would share some details about the health condition that made him to look so thin and haggard at his last public appearace — and triggered two share-punishing rounds of speculation on Wall Street — if Nocera agreed to keep the conversation off the record.
Nocera agreed, and reported only that nothing Jobs told him …
"contradicted the reporting that [Times reporter] John Markoff and I did this week. While his health problems amounted to a good deal more than 'a common bug,' they weren’t life-threatening and he doesn’t have a recurrence of cancer."
The "common bug" is a reference to the explanation for Jobs' weight loss that Apple's PR department put out in June — an explanation that Nocera feels fell somewhat short of the truth. Markoff reported on Wednesday that Jobs had had an unnamed surgical procedure earlier this year related to his loss of weight, and Nocera adds that he had learned that Jobs was having ongoing digestive difficulties stemming from the cancer surgery he had four years ago — the details of which were first reported by Fortune (see here).
All this leads Nocera to the broader point he wants to make about Apple:
"Apple simply can’t be trusted to tell truth about its chief executive. Under Mr. Jobs, Apple has created a culture of secrecy that has served it well in many ways — the speculation over which products Apple will unveil at the annual MacWorld conference has been one of the company’s best marketing tools. But that same culture poisons its corporate governance. Apple tells analysts far less about its operations than most companies do. It turns low-level decisions into state secrets. Directors are often left out of the loop. And it dissembles with impunity." (link)
So, yes, Nocera thinks Steve Jobs is an arrogant [expletive] who thinks he's above the law.
But Jobs may have the last laugh. Twice in his column, Nocera refers to things that happened during Apple's (AAPL) third quarter conference call on Tuesday afternoon.
In fact, the conference call happened on Monday.
UPDATE: The error in the printed edition of the paper has been corrected in the online version.
Thanks Dr. Oaks……
The only thing in this list that made sense!
Sometimes you just have to keep reading to find a answer.
I know that the traders are happy with Apple going up and down on a hourly basis….all this speculation about Jobs health really helps…. But it seems to me that it's not Jobs would is above the law, but the journalist's and speculators who are pushing the limits of legality.
I’ve met with Michael Dell last week, and for him, health is a legitimate question/concern. And apparently his board knows exactly what to do if he’s to be unavailable for his company. Check out the interview here: http://www.uberpulse.com/us/2008/07/michael_dell_succession_plan_im_staying_from_trucks_i_eat_well.php
I agree with Steve. It is a personal matter.
I am sure Apple, with the information they now know, will plan ahead to make sure they are relevant after Steve leaves Apple, when he decides to leave.
Best wishes to Steve and hope he remains healthy 
What business is it of yours (Nocera)that Steve Jobs' health is or isn't failing? Everyone doesn't need to know his personal health, including you. He is not above the law. It is simply called privacy. I'm sure the right people in the company know at all times the more personal aspects of his life. As a shareholder I can understand someone might want to know how the leader of their investment is doing but let us take it only so far. I must admit that I was taken by surprise about how he looked during his keynote speech at the unveiling of the Iphone 3G, but he seemed to be happy and in good spirits which was enough for me. I don't and never will need to know the personal details about his health. Know your limits, and you do have them as a reporter, don't forget that.
You can complain all you want. But the iPhone is the best smartphone on the market. It costs money to use a smartphone on the internet. It always cost money and it always will. Convenience and entertainment costs money. If you want to wait for a perfect iPhone, you'll be waiting forever. The 3G iPhone is the best phone at a low price of $199. It doesn't get any better than that. Some people just like to complain.
Personally, as a stock holder, I hope Steve Jobs kicks the bucket tomorrow. Then the stock will fall, I can buy a lot more, and when it becomes obvious to everyone the talent at Apple is not restricted to it's CEO, and they continue to innovate and thrive despite his passing, the stock will climb back up to where it should be.
Well,look at that, the stock is getting hammered on the news that Steve doesn't have cancer! Guess the manipulators are already on to the next "reason" to try to make AAPL fail. If this doesn't smoke out the obvious manipulation of the stock price, nothing will. All we've heard for weeks is Steve has cancer, so the stock is being penalized. Now Steve doesn't have cancer, so the stock is going down. Interesting.
If investors and WS truly wants to believe Steve Jobs has cancer, then they will not be convinced he doesn't. If they believe he's lying, even if he says he's healthy, it won't matter. This health issue is just a matter of trust. Even if they had access to his health records and the records showed he didn't have cancer, they'd probably say the records have been altered. Any CEO of any company can die at any time and all this stuff about Steve Jobs is just a way to manipulate and hold down Apple's stock price.
Don't expect Apple's stock price to go up even if Steve says he healthy. The media and WS will find another reason to keep the stock weak. There are forces that don't want Apple to succeed in its growth and are likely doing everything in their power to damage the stock with constant instability.
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It’s interesting; Apple Executive’s health is in the news again! And we are actually still don’t know anything about the health of Steve Jobs.
"Apple tells analysts far less about its operations than most companies do". Most, if not all analysts are NOT competent to judge or even objectively comment on innovations and operations like those of Apple. They should be content with watching the numbers and not misinterpreting them.
Respect is obtained ones you have earned,Mr Jobs has decided to keep his private matters the way is supposed to be .PRIVATE.So if anyone has a different conceptualization of what privacy means is ok too,but please keep your thoughts to yourself,the majority of people who invest large or small have a criteria to decide whats wrong or right,Mr Nocera needs to be assignee,to the Sports or Entertainment,sections where I,m sure hi will an extended crowd that will agree with his irresponsible comments.
One important point: Apple made an official statement about Jobs' health. If that was a lie, someone could go to jail and/or pay a big fine. So far, the company has NOT lied about Jobs' health. It withheld information at one point, based upon an analysis that his health would not affect the operation of the company.
Apple is not Enron.
I normally would side with protectng private health information. After thinking about it though, I would have to side with the view that senior officers of public companies should be required to disclose medical conditions that might impact the value of the company stock. In other careers, like say an airline pilot, where a medical problem might impact many people, there are systems to assure the public isn't impacted. I don't think the details have to be disclosed, but do believe stockholders have the right to know if Steve passes (or not) some health criteria appropriate to the risk to shareholders. Many officers of other public companies have been very forthcoming about health issues. If Steve can't trust us enough to tell us the truth, I can't say I'm inclinded to trust him to look after the value of Apple stock. For me, trust is more important than privacy.
As rightly echoed in many of the preceding comments, each and every ounce of Mr Jobs's "arrogance" has been earned and then some. If you are the single person most responsible for radically altering the way people listen to music (and changing the dying dinosaur that the music industry is), you have earned the right to be referred to as "arrogant".
Mr Jobs – Keep up the good work, and though you certainly don't need it, you have my respect and support as a shareholder. I wish you all the continuing prosperity in your family/personal life as the collective prosperity you have created for all of us who have profited as a result of investing in you, your companies, and your innovative vision and approach.
I have to admit, I wouldn't want to work for Steve Jobs… He's quite an intense guy. But, if he calls you a "slime" and a "poor reporter"… You probably are.
I think the NY Times needs to look into Mr. Nocera a bit closer to see that what he's writing is factual and non-biased.
Everyone should contact the SEC about Nocera and his sources, most certainly to be hedge fund rumor-mongering. With the SEC trying to clamp down on hedge fund rumor-mongering, maybe this can be used to set an example. Having the story planted the day right of earnings release is very suspicious. If the hedge funds are spreading information they know to be false, could this be a crime?
ex ped: Nocera was not involved in Monday's story.
Its amazing that Americans actually still read the New York Times. Its 10 times worse than the Boston Globe and that's only good for puppy training.
ex ped: I read them both and except for sports, I can't agree.
Its naive to think it was just a coincident the story came out right around option expiration and earning report. Shame on the Washington Post for initially reporting the story base on pure speculation and shame on the New York Times for giving it credence. The point is not whether Steve's health is a "private matter" or not. It is a private matter unless it is materiel or obstruct his governance and leadership of Apple and if that is the case then Apple will let its shareholders know because thats the law. Until then, I really don't think the public wants to know if Steve have regular bowel movements or trying out a new diet of tofu and spinach. The real issue here is that we have a lame SEC that's powerless to stop the blatant manipulation and corruption of the stock market and the media.
ex ped: I think you mean the NY Post, not the Wash Post.
With the "health" of the newspaper industry I can assure you that Joe Nocera will be out of a job long before Steve Jobs kicks the bucket. Nocera should be worried about NYTimes stock, not Apple's. Back to $200/share for AAPL. And out the door Nocera – you moron.
Gee, I hope we get a corresponding stock bounce on these "facts" that is twice as big as the hit the stock took on the B.S. rumors put out over the past few weeks. And I hope it catches all the loser "shorts" and hedge manipulators in an absolute panic on Monday morning. They may have had the clowns at the Post in their pocket last Monday, but ol' Stevie came through for us yet again. Poor guy, it's not enough he has to be the absolute best at creating new products, but he has to deal with scumbags like Nocera. Scavengers, ghouls, and creeps take note – light we'll eventually shine in the holes where you are hiding. And I hope you lose your ass when it does for trying to manipulate and screw over the rest of us with your lies! Let's get back to the fact that this is going to be, by far, the greatest AAPL quarter ever!!
Jobs is right although I think he's being too kind: "Slime bucket" is too mild for people like Nocera.
Well, if the light of heaven is snarling and swearing, I guess he is fighting fit. Good for him.
Arrogant? Why wouldn't he be? He has achieved stuff.
This journo is going to be known as the guy who got called a slime bag and who had his facts wrong. I guess he can be arrogant about that if he wants.
Who cares? Good to see the stevo with his thumb on it, May his bowels move with ever improving grace.
My husband and I are both in the publishing business, and if either of us had a scoop like this, we'd have gone to press with it immediately–as in Friday's NYT, and not sit on it for a day. It's not as though this were a minor story–CNBC, for one, has been running pointed items on CEO "secrecy" daily (I should say ad nauseum). I guess Nocera fancies himself more of an overproduced wordsmith than a newspaperman and needed the extra writing time.
ex ped: In Nocera's defense, he writes a weekly column that appears on the front page in the business section of the NY Times every Saturday. He could have pitched his story to the news desk on Thursday, but then he would have had to come up with a new topic for Saturday. I suspect his editors are happy to have a column that generates so much heat on what is usually a pretty slow day for business news.
My problem with the NY Times article, and the other "news" regarding Steve Jobs' health is that there is no "news". There was no recent event that would lead to the timing of the articles. Yes, Steve looked thin at the WWDC – but that was the time to address the issue – and it was addressed. Why bring up the issue as the company is in the midst of several new product launches and releasing earnings – unless you are trying to manipulate the stock price. This is a good example of how the media can manipulate the stock price, and I think the SEC needs to take a closer look.
Like ped, I conclude Apple wanted Nocera to write this article. There's lots of reporters/ columnists that Apple/Jobs could've contacted but they chose Nocera, who dislikes Apple in general, and hates it for its secrecy (see his previous articles). Think about that. (In another universe, we might even think conspiracy.)
I really liked the way Jobs pushed slime-bucket's buttons. Jobs provoked him to write an article to the whole world (btw, which includes all the shareholders) confirming that he doesn't have cancer, all the while still maintaining his insistence that his health is a private matter by using the "off-the-record" play.
in slime-bucket's article, you can see that slime-bucket's emotions overcome any journalistic training he's ever had. Jobs knew slime-bucket's ego wouldn't allow him to ignore his phone call, but that slime-bucket would demonstrably compromise his own make-it-all-public standards and join in apple's cone of secrecy (i.e., "off-the-record").
true genius. slime bucket was pwned.
Well done, Mr. Jobs!
Its so annoying how the media likes to blow things out of proportion and make people believe what is not the case.
I am quite happy that Mr. Jobs has basically showed the middle finger to the media and now maybe things can get back to normal. (Maybe even stock can get back up)
I'm sorry Mr. Jobs lost his temper and gave the "slime bucket" what he wanted. I'm concerned that it'll encourage others to continue to hound him. That's simply not fair to him as an individual.
Why are they doing this? Part of it is envy, of course. Part of it is a legitimate concern about Apple's future. But part of it is calculated. It's clear to me that the powers-that-be are doing everything they can to drag Apple down. This focus on Mr. Jobs' health is of a piece with all the negative hype about the latest product launches from Apple, where a few problems have been blown all out of proportion to the reality.
MobileMe? My wife gets all her email through .Mac, and has not had a single problem.
The so-called sign-up problems the first day? Clearly attributable to the huge demand for access that few would have predicted.
The turning away of potential customers? Again, who predicted the massive demand? And why is it that nobody is doing a story on the incredible success of this launch?
The fact is there are business interests that are THREATENED by Apple's success, and who are leaving no stone unturned to try to pull Apple down. How deep those interests reach down into mass media? Pretty darned deep.
Reminds me of the hatchet job certain interests are doing on Senator Obama.
Fortunately, in both cases they might as well be sweeping back the tide….
thank you Steve Jobs for all the great new innovations .As for New york times .. You are NOT what YOU USED TO BE OR STOOD FOR!!!
Steve Jobs is entitled to basic privacy rights just like anybody else. Anybody buying stock in AAPL has to factor certain risks. Within the health care industry his medical records are protected by HIPAA Laws. Too bad the reporter at the NYT does not have to follow the same laws.
Anybody who has read the annual reports and the press releases about Apple should know that the company has evolved. It has very capable management at each of the divisions, besides in the top management ranks.
It is important to note that companies eventually mature and become sclerotic… especially in tech. Look at Kodak, Polaroid, Xerox, DEC, IBM, and now even MSFT.
Got to stay in tune.
This is entirely foolish. Medical information is private.
No one is entitled to that information.We all die.
Life goes on with those who will replace us.
Even when "insanely great" we have no right to that person's medical information when the work gets done.
So, to now say that this off the record conversation satisfies the reporter, but (gee whiz) he laments:
"You would think he’d want them [Apple's Board] to know before me. But apparently not.'
Is there no satisfying this guy?
Privacy is PRIVATE. It only is relevant when the person cannot DO the JOB anymore.
First, "slime bucket" does have an ax to grind when it comes to Apple. Go read his previous columns on anything related to Apple.
Second, slime bucket has no clue whether Jobs did or did not tell the BOD of his surgery. We do know that the BOD has not found any of Jobs' recent health activities of material consequence to Apple. So on this point, I don't see any attempt to deceive any shareholders.
Third, the question asked at WWDC was "Is Jobs healthy?" and "Has Jobs' cancer returned?", and NOT "Tell us all of the health issues has Steve had over the last 6 months." Apple replied that Jobs was not healthy; he had had an infection, which is almost always just a "common bug"; at least when I have an infection, my doctor tells me it's nothing more serious than a common bug. I know there are some instances where an infection is much more serious than a common bug, but how does slime-bucket know that Steve had one of those, and not one of the type that I (and my children) always get?
Finally, how much advance notice do shareholders expect to get when Jobs is sick, and how serious does the sickness have to be? The first day he feels unwell and needs to stay home for the day? Or when he's determined with his doctors that he needs to stop working for a period of time (and how long does that period of time need to be: one day, one week, one month)? Or at what point in-between? It seems slime-bucket thinks, at a minimum, that Jobs must reveal all his health issues that require surgery, even if it is outpatient surgery and requires no more time off from Apple than having the flu, and less time than taking a vacation.
I am not an Apple or Steve Jobs fan in fact I am a Microsoft fan, but leave the man alone his health is private matter, and someone with his outstanding leadership of the company knows when he is not capable to run it or not, and I am sure he will come forward and tell everybody, and even if he cannot run the company for some reason, Apple is a great company that went through a total transformation to make it go forward without him, I think that was one of his biggest goals. So stop call him arrogant because when you are ill or have health problem you have the right of privacy, and no one have the right to know except your family. I wish him all the good health to continue to impress us with his leadership and creativity.
It was shocking to read Nocera's column. His insistence on Jobs being more forthcoming about his health had to be one of the most insensitive articles I have ever read in the NY Times in 40 years of reading the paper. Imagine if every CEO and executive in the world who had cancer or similar illness were forced to come forward in the name of forthcomingness. It would be an outrage and a violation of a human right. Imagine also if Nocera, a reporter who is now infamous were asked to come forward and report on the health or criminal status of his children or his wife's love affairs or other issues that are "demanded" by the public. Maybe Nocera should come forth and reveal all his own hidden secrets that are by his logic necessary by his concerned and admiring public.
True Apple is secretive, and that can be changed, but to go after Jobs in this manner is not just a reflection of the insensitivity of this reporter, but of the New York Times itself. This is a shameful story for all involved. The NY Times trying to get more market share in hard times cannot allow its reporters to reach this level of crudeness and insensitivity.
The last sentence of the NYT article that this article links to in the first sentence is moronic and vindictive in tone. ("You would think he’d want them to know before me. But apparently not.") By telling the NYT in fact he is telling the shareholders. Public disclosure is public disclosure. What is he supposed to do, send every investor a hand written note?
The bottom line, after this is all laid out, is that Steve Jobs' health is a private matter. (If it were a life threatening illness, it might be material, but since its not life threatening, then its not, and is therefore a private matter!) Even as an investor in Apple, which I am, I have no right to know the details of Steve Jobs personal health under the circumstances described.
As to Apple's secrecy, and maintaining a culture of STRICT secrecy, I applaud them. In this competitive world, keeping your cards so close to the vest is a key strategic advantage. I know perfectly well what's going on at Apple, when I need to know it. That is to say, when everyone else knows it. When the next brilliant product is introduced, or the official announcement is made about the next release of the operating system. If everything weren't going so brilliantly at Apple, it might be a different matter. Investors would be banging down the door to try to understand the problems, and to get them fixed. But that is certainly not the case here. (God forbid, Carl Icahn would come knocking!)
The NYT author is also totally off base when he says that Apple's secrecy "poisons its corporate governance. Apple tells analysts far less about operations than most companies do." Nonsense – again, Apple is in a very competitive technology space and secrecy is paramount! (Look how quickly the iPhone was cloned [albeit poorly] in Asia. Or how MSFT tries to copy Apple.) The fact is many companies have stopped giving guidance in their quarterly calls because they're afraid of being sued by shareholders if there predictions fall short, yet Apple consistently provides guidance for the upcoming quarter, albeit consistently conservative guidance, but we do know what to expect.
Steve and Apple, keep doing what you're doing! Delight us with the brilliance of your market changing products. And keep us guessing. To your health Steve! And to everyone at Apple, Great Job!
Sounds like he had a partial small bowel obstruction secondary to an adhesion formed after his first surgery.
38 years of experience in medicine, thats why its a pretty good guess
All companies not just Apple have to keep products a secret so that competitors don't copy it. A lot of design and research that costs a lot of money goes into new products. More people want to know about Apple products because they tend to be more innovative.
Steve Jobs is healthy and that's all that matters. He can easily gain a few pounds for the next conference but he is a vegetarian.
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What a disjointed piece of writing.
Let me summarize it in essence.
The press blew way out of proportion Jobs health. His condition isn't life threatening. The press supplemented their "reporting" with rampant speculation, this in turn fueled the rumor mill that was gleefully juiced, pumped and perpetuated by boiler room Wall Street outfits entrusted with the marching orders to smear Apple in any way shape or form. The root in a word, greed.
Jobs is arrogant, indeed, so are many of the "reporters" and certainly bloggers that make their nickel from sensational hype.
Also, speaking of "above the law", if Apple were breaking "laws" there would be suits. There's no suits out of the ordinary for an operation this size. So again, arrogant and loose reporting.
So while Jobs may be arrogant, by definition in this case of being a hard nosed, untrusting business man (I can't imagine why so much of Apple's initiatives are wrapped in secret, go figure); so too he's correct in stating that many reporters are slime buckets.
The jokes really on the reporters that think most out here in the working world don't get it.
Why would Steve Jobs make an off the record comment to the New York Times about his health? That makes little sense to me.
LOL, Uberpulse–NO ONE CARES about Dell and his crappy company. Anybody could continue to run that sinking ship into the ground.