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NY Times responds to Apple memo Video

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NY Times responds to Apple memo
Created: 01/27/2012
Video description: On Reporters' Roundtable hosted by CNET's Rafe Needleman, New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg responds to a memo to Apple employees from CEO Tim Cook regarding working conditions in Chinese factories that make Apple products. The memo came the same week Duhigg's co-written article, "In China, Human Costs are built into an iPad," was published in The New York Times.

NY Times responds to Apple memo Video Transcript

They guys that -- -- -- here from reporters' roundtable thanks for listening to that show -- one of the things that we didn't talk about in the interview adjusted with. Mike gazing in Charleston -- was a memo that Tim Cook the CEO of Apple put out. About working conditions at their overseas plants. And that memo is being reported on widely including on CNET that we have a full story on it. -- I -- -- get. Charles is response to that memo since about what Tim Cook is talking about although he doesn't use -- word New York Times in the story. Is the reporting. Including the reporting from the New York Times that was being done and working conditions. So before Charles. Left to Skype -- dialed him back up and we had a very brief discussion. About Tim cook's response the reporting on Apple's working conditions. Well the story obviously has been developing quite a lot and it just the day after. One of the New York Times stories came out about the -- working conditions at Foxconn plant in others. CEO Tim Cook. Who. Is the operations guy and Apple to be -- became CEO and who in fact is the guy who moved Apple's manufacturing to the state where it is -- our country where it is now. Wrote a memo to employees and also said that. Anything that says that Apple does not care about every worker in supply chain was patently false an offensive. Charles I do -- is still with us here and I understand you've seen this memo you com. Any response. Based on what Tim Cook -- here. They may have seen the memo and in him. The -- Our response to any thing. Is always that we stand by -- reporting works. We're quite a long time on the story and feel very comfortable and secure in our sources and tons and I haven't -- a chance to speak -- mr. -- with others about what specifically he mentions -- -- he doesn't mention the New York Times story in the -- in his letter. Except to say that we stand -- story and and -- comfortable with -- Okay it's. I think it's -- response that he hasn't. You know to go to what we set it at the end of the show here -- -- micro talking about of the constant drumbeat of criticism and attention. This may be wouldn't she say. And step in the right direction if the reporting that you did -- -- of the reports that other people down there are accurate through to have the CEO of Apple say. We are focused on educating we're gonna quoting from his memo we are focused on educating workers about the rights -- -- empowered to speak up when they see unsafe conditions etc. You think you're having an effect. I really can't say I mean the -- without doing reporting in it's unclear how to me how people outside Apple. Sar story and on whether they even -- the first place and time. Except to say that you know we are no based on the reporting that I have done. That there are numerous people within -- Apple including -- I believe from what I've been told mr. cook. Who take issues overseas seriously on and in I think that this reflects the the fact that it has been a priority for the company. -- All right well thanks for that response. Again the story keeps developing Apple CEO Tim Cook. On the record saying we take working conditions extremely seriously. And we will continue to report on this at CNET as some -- near times -- as well thanks again Charles it was a great to have you on around him. Thank you take care you to. --

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