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News.com reporter Elinor Mills flew across the country to interview Google CEO Eric Schmidt on all sorts of topics: search, advertising, Yahoo-Microsoft, and the ostensible reason for the interview, Google Health. Newly installed editor-in-chief Dan Farber writes: "A few minutes before the interview, she was told by a Google spokesman that Schmidt would only answer questions about Google Health." That's not very Googly.


In fact, that reminds us of another big Valley company's attempt to keep reporters "on message." In an interview with Apple's Phil Schiller about the iPhone, when a reporter started asking questions about iTunes' proprietary format, PR people jumped in and tried to end the interview, saying how they're "excited" about the iPhone and "want to stay focused" when the reporter goes off-script.


Next time, Elinor, bring a videocamera, and post Schmidt's question-dodging on YouTube.

(Photo by Charles Haynes)