The Gizmodo gadget blog is part of Nick Denton's Gawker Media, and full of the snark that pervades that blog network.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, someone from Gizmodo used a remote control to turn off several monitors, including in the middle of people's presentations. Reaction around the blogosphere was mixed. Bryan Gardiner at Wired thought it was cool, though many of the commenters disagreed:

it wouldn't bit a big deal if they just switched off a couple of monitors on those walls of screens. but they repeatedly turn off monitors during a guy's demonstration, during a gaming presentation, etc. that's just stupid. (alex)

a lot of time, money and work goes into displaying at CES, and you should not have to prepare for such childish pranks at a professional event. (strax)

Not content with a lame apology, Gizmodo went on the attack:

when I see some fellow press damning us for the joke, I feel sorry for them: When did journalists become the protectors of corporations?

Being a jerk and causing extra work for the staff at trade show booths isn't "sticking it to big business".

Having taken the low road, Brian Lam then goes on to claim the opposite:

In this job, integrity and independence is far more important than civil or corporate obedience.

Josh Catone at ReadWriteWeb knocks down that bit of self-righteousness:

Sorry, Brian, that's not what the prank demonstrated. What it showed was that your employees don't know how to behave in a public, civilized setting. You can still ask the tough questions, demand the the truth, not publish corporate talking points, and check facts before publishing without acting like delinquents.