Categories: OLD Media Moves

Ex-Newsweek tech writer didn't pass on Apple threat before Lyons hiring

Jay Yarow of The Business Insider reports that Steven Levy of Wired, who previously covered technology for Newsweek, did not pass along Apple’s displeasure about the magazine’s hiring of current tech writer Dan Lyons before he was hired.

Lyons said on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” on Sunday that Levy was involved in passing along Apple’s comments to Newsweek’s editors.

Yarow writes, “In an email, Steven tells us, ‘Dan was hired after I left and I had no input whatsoever into his hiring. I did not lobby against his hiring, nor did Apple ask me to lobby against it.’

“‘After Dan made that false claim, I wrote to Dan’s boss at Newsweek, Kathy Deveny, who of course knew that I did not contact anyone at Newsweek about Dan, and she told me that she spoke to him about the remarks, and that he would not repeat his claims. I am trying to get a correction on Reliable Sources.’

“Why wouldn’t Apple want Dan at Newsweek? Presumably, because they hate him for writing his satirical blog about Steve Jobs.

“Dan confirmed his mistake to us in an email, saying ‘Yes, I misspoke on the Kurtz show. I feel bad about the mistake. I apologize to Steven.'”