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The Points Guy: We never accept free flights [merged TPG discussions]

The Points Guy: We never accept free flights [merged TPG discussions]

Old Nov 24, 2018, 7:17 pm
  #976  
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Originally Posted by diburning
I just read that piece of hot garbage. It reads like a whiny high schooler's book report.

The author even goes as far as to defend himself with statements along the lines of "I know you are, but what am I?" when almost everyone criticized the article. (TPG readers might not all be mindless credit card acquiring drones after all)
I agree with the first comment that Zach's articles are the only ones worth reading.

Back to this author, though. Look at his article history. The next previous article describes how he almost fell in to a scam when he agreed to go to dinner and stay with some random dude he met on a train in Africa. Who does that? This is who TPG has hired to advise us? No wonder we get garbage articles about "fraudulent" airline seats.
diburning and nancypants like this.
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Old Nov 27, 2018, 4:04 pm
  #977  
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hired to create clickbait
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Old Nov 27, 2018, 4:56 pm
  #978  
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
hired to create clickbait
How is this sustainable, though? Are "points savvy" travelers really dumb enough to read this stuff? Surely at some point, it goes the way of "National Enquirer" (is that even still published?) - that is, devoid of credibility.
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Old Nov 27, 2018, 6:58 pm
  #979  
 
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People love the glamorous life of "free" luxury travel and seemingly no real life consequences/responsibilities that TPG sells. But also the volume of garbage and their SEO essentially drowns out the market.
Until and unless they get sued/regulators step in, the garbage will continue.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 1:42 am
  #980  
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Originally Posted by TBD
How is this sustainable, though? Are "points savvy" travelers really dumb enough to read this stuff? Surely at some point, it goes the way of "National Enquirer" (is that even still published?) - that is, devoid of credibility.
Its the same with VFTW: 8 of 10 entries are not relevant to the target audience, but it builds SEO. If you don't have volume the ranking drops.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 2:01 am
  #981  
 
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Originally Posted by TBD
How is this sustainable, though? Are "points savvy" travelers really dumb enough to read this stuff? Surely at some point, it goes the way of "National Enquirer" (is that even still published?) - that is, devoid of credibility.
It's probably sustainable because all of the people who got credit cards through their affiliate links are probably trying to get the "carefree travel lifestyle" experience that TPG is also pushing along with the credit cards. That's probably the target audience of their stupid "5 ways to not get kicked off an airplane" style lists.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 1:19 pm
  #982  
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it is the new business model, remains to be seen if it ever changes

anyone who thinks 'old' media is any different is not paying attention
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 7:25 pm
  #983  
 
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
it is the new business model, remains to be seen if it ever changes

anyone who thinks 'old' media is any different is not paying attention
I guess people who make excuses like this are one reason why TPG and other garbage commercial websites pretending to be media survive.
Sorry bud, but call it "fake news" all you like, but there continues to be serious journalism out there, journalistic integrity, editorial standards, and divisions between advertising and content.
No "traditional media" I know of would ever allow a writer to accuse a company of fraud on these facts. It's an insult to the noble people pursuing that difficult, underpaid profession to suggest otherwise.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 9:07 pm
  #984  
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Reading comments here almost makes me want to go read what these sites are writing for the expected entertainment (or eyeball-stabbing-inducing reaction?)
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 10:49 pm
  #985  
 
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They can't even tell the difference between the Danish and the Dutch. Shameful.



https://thepointsguy.com/deals/us-sc...31-round-trip/
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:11 pm
  #986  
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Originally Posted by Adam1222
I guess people who make excuses like this are one reason why TPG and other garbage commercial websites pretending to be media survive. Sorry bud, but call it "fake news" all you like, but there continues to be serious journalism out there, journalistic integrity, editorial standards, and divisions between advertising and content. No "traditional media" I know of would ever allow a writer to accuse a company of fraud on these facts. It's an insult to the noble people pursuing that difficult, underpaid profession to suggest otherwise.
youre kidding right? yes there are suspensions and firings (of course it doesnt matter in cases where fired is immediately rehired by someone else) but it has gotten insane, partly due to dramatic reduction of deep end of pool

paid media has always been an issue, and people are not aware of it, still

travel journalism keeps getting reduced in favor of paid media (lots of things being reduced)

paid media evolves as a single giant entity owns (multiple) media plus things media is covering

everyone in media is (privately) celebrating the money they are making from one thing these days

re "allow" it depends on a lot, editor, who owns media, who owns target, etc, very complex

surely you have noticed some old media adding 'contributors' vs staff
lots of changes in online world of old media, including 3rd party aggregator content

think i saw a photo of TPG on AOL (not calling AOL old media) via an aggregator

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Nov 28, 2018 at 11:19 pm
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 12:41 am
  #987  
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Originally Posted by Adam1222
No "traditional media" I know of would ever allow a writer to accuse a company of fraud on these facts. It's an insult to the noble people pursuing that difficult, underpaid profession to suggest otherwise.
Try reading Conde Nast and all those 'travel' magazines. Don't get me started on People and intouch and the like.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 1:23 am
  #988  
 
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Conde Nast.... The most trusted travel publication. Why? Because they said so. Over and over again, and people started believing it.
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 6:08 am
  #989  
 
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Originally Posted by oliver2002
Try reading Conde Nast and all those 'travel' magazines. Don't get me started on People and intouch and the like.
You may have arguments about specific publications, but the comment suggested a broader attack on media.

Regardless, celebrity gossip mags dont pretend to be otherwise. InTouch doesn't purport to be giving objective expert advice on anything. If a Conde Nast publication accused someone of fraud in these circumstances, there would be a demand letter from a lawyer in 48 seconds.
Even if you think they are garbage, they have much clearer disclosures of advertising.

It's not a retort to the deceptive, garbage nature of the Points Guy to say "But InTouch."
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Old Nov 29, 2018, 6:10 am
  #990  
 
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Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri

everyone in media is (privately) celebrating the money they are making from one thing these days

This is patently false and continues to be an insult to the thousands of hardworking, underpaid journalists with integrity, struggling to make ends meet in a culture where the media is attacked every day.
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