Last week, when I spoke to Electric Mirror’s CEO, Jim Mischel, he said the article from my competitor looked like a “hatchet job.” Jim did acknowledge that this news portal did contact his company the day the article was published. Electric Mirror is located on the West Coast, and, because of a 3-hour time difference, they were unable to respond before the provocative article went online. If someone intends to write a scathing article that will negatively impact a company’s reputation, shouldn’t they make a realistic effort to contact the company before publishing?

Electric Mirror was unfairly portrayed, likely due to an unprofessional rush to publish by the news portal – a classic example of reckless journalism. I suspect the true motive behind the article was simply to drive clicks, which I believe to be an obsession of this news portal.

My competitor revised the article after his source removed the original article. He also received a very spirited call from the CEO of Electric Mirror, demanding the article be fixed or removed.

Moral Dilemmas

As I pen this article, I am confronted with a moral decision: should I stoop to my competitor’s level and unleash a barrage of rhetorical assaults as he has done numerous times against me?

Perhaps I should stretch this into a 1,500-word takedown, plastering his logo without his permission and highlighting every error he made. I could circle each error and have bold red arrows pointing to them.

Should I exploit SEO tricks, such as using his name throughout the article and loading it with meaningless hyperlinks to ensure everyone in the industry knows of his reckless behavior? Should I include an unrelated hatchet job article that he wrote previously and also retracted?  

Should I seize this chance to expose his blatant hypocrisy and refusal to take responsibility? He has not issued a public apology and instead deflected the blame onto a third party—an irony I find quite rich. Furthermore, there seems to be no action plan to prevent such unjustified hatchet jobs in the future.

Perhaps I should wait to publish my article until the day before a major conference, strategically timing its release to overshadow the event and make it a main topic of conversation among attendees.

What Really Matters

Let’s focus on what really matters. The true story isn’t about a news portal who seems to thrive on clickbait and sensationalism. The real narrative is Electric Mirror’s remarkable resilience and growth that I learned about during my conversation with their CEO. Despite facing a data breach, they have thrived by expanding their product lines, investing in American manufacturing, and setting a sterling example of success in the face of challenges.

Unlike my competitor, who seems more interested in tearing down rather than building up, we at EdisonReport focus on the positive. We highlight best practices, stories of resilience, and industry advancements.

If you value integrity, constructive reporting, and a commitment to elevating the lighting industry, keep your eyes on EdisonReport Media Network.

We will continue to advocate and do our best to build and improve our industry.