In his Mediactive blog, Dan Gillmor argues that news organizations shouldn't depend on the iPad or Apple to ride to the rescue. Its devices may offer interesting opportunities, but its corporate culture is something to fear, he suggests.

"Ultimately, I believe, the most important issue is whether news organizations should get in bed with a company that makes unilateral and non-transparent decisions like the ones Apple has been making about content in all kinds of ways," writes Gillmor, who is working on a book project online.

As evidence, Gillmor cites Apple's effort to take controversial adult-oriented material off iTunes and its aversion to Flash --- matters he suggests are part of a wider autocratic culture not open to free expression. He believes Apple CEO Steve Jobs isn't a free-press supporter.

Newspapers, he says, are "putting far too much trust in a company that doesn’t deserve it."