Overheard: polite clapping for Nintendo is quite enough, fanboys
by Vladimir Cole 
{ May 18th 2006 at 10:15PM }
Fellow Joystiq blogger Chris Grant forwarded the following quote to me and asked, "Why does this sound like something you'd say?"
Washington Post blogger Mike Musgrove overheard one member of a cluster of bloggers behind him caution his fellow bloggers just prior to the beginning of the Nintendo's E3 press conference: "Remember, no fanboyism -- if something happens, polite clapping is enough."
Hilarious!
... but only for a moment. Editorialising follows after the post break.
The quote is funny because it typifies so much of what's wrong with "reporting" at E3. First, we've got to give credit to the anonymous blogger who at least recognized the need to remain calm and somewhat even-keeled: good job. You recognized that you were there to provide coverage and to keep a level head about you, even as the company on the stage did their best to inundate you with trickery designed to sweep you off your feet. For that, you deserve recognition.
It's unfortunate, however, that many members of the E3 "press" failed to quell their enthusiasm. I now recall in embarrassment the hoots and yells that routinely break out at E3 press conferences, particularly the Nintendo conference. Such ad-hoc outbursts of passion are appropriate at a pep rally, or at an Evangelical telethon, but they're completely out of place in a room that's supposedly full of members of the press (wouldn't be much of a press conference without press there, would it?).
Why do press allow themselves to get carried way past the point of no-return, past the junction of logic and reason, to the point that they've lost all rational ability to see the hype for what it is?
Whoever you "press" are, this is a message for you: if you're a so-called "member of the press" and you screamed ecstatically -- if you lost yourself -- at any of the big three press conferences at E3, you should be ashamed. Your inability to keep your head in the face of a PR blitz means that you're doing Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo's work for them. When you bleat out a cheer at the beck of some spot-lit shepherd, you've just done the marketer's work for him. When you clap extra-enthusiastically, you've turned teamkiller on your fellow members of the press corps. When you stomp your feet (yes, I saw foot stomping) you turn aid these companies in their efforts to overwhelm our senses; you turn the aural guns on your teammates in the audience.
Here's to hoping you greenhorns get your acts together for the next big media event. A little less fanboy, a little more Cronkite, if you can muster it.
[Via Video Game Media Watch]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Shiro @ May 18th 2006 10:21PM
I don't see the problem in getting carried away when something is exciting.
It's called human nature.
Shiro @ May 18th 2006 10:25PM
I should add to my first post that I think it's okay to get carried away for anything if it's exciting.
I'm not defending Nintendo, just the "press", who are actually very much human, and may tend to display emotion.
vc @ May 18th 2006 10:26PM
"I don't see the problem in getting carried away when something is exciting.
It's called human nature."
It's the press's job NOT to get so excited that they lose their ability to report on events without bias.
In the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, lots of people in the press got a little too excited and wrapped up in some thin justifications of the need for an invasion. Those same reporters now castigate themselves for not doing their job better. If they had not been lead so willingly into a what many now perceive to be a sham war, they feel that they might have influenced the national debate in a healthy way.
That's a political example of why it's important for media to retain impartiality.
SyphonBlue @ May 18th 2006 10:26PM
Who the hell cares? These aren't newspaper journalists; video game journalists are fans and they're having fun doing their hobby as their job. How is it embarrassing when they get excited? I don't know anybody who actually cares, so who is it that's making you embarrassed?
hepcecob @ May 18th 2006 10:26PM
These are gamers reporting games. Gaming in general is supposed to be ALL about fun. These are reporters that are passionate about the subject that they are reporting about. I saw all of the E3 press conferences and have to say that I had no problem with how the reporter's reactions.
vc @ May 18th 2006 10:30PM
"These aren't newspaper journalists; video game journalists are fans and they're having fun doing their hobby as their job."
I think that's exactly the problem. There's a reason why game "reporters" get no respect and why no game publication has ever won a Pulitzer.
DaveKap @ May 18th 2006 10:33PM
So I guess the reason the Sony conference had such a quiet audience was because the press were only politely clapping, right? *grin*
SyphonBlue @ May 18th 2006 10:33PM
"I think that's exactly the problem. There's a reason why game "reporters" get no respect and why no game publication has ever won a Pulitzer."
Then they should go to work for CNN.com, not IGN.com.
donlo @ May 18th 2006 10:35PM
No, i believe the reason no game publication has won a Pulitzer is its of limited appeal to the public. Tear jerking human intrest stories win awards, a review of madden 07 dosent. The gaming press are more like critics than anything else, more akin to the film industry press than mainstream. But all major newspapers have a film writer, very few have a game column writer. Until gaming because more widely accepted, it is going to be reported on BY fans FOR fans.
vc @ May 18th 2006 10:36PM
"Then they should go to work for CNN.com, not IGN.com."
That's exactly what does happen. People who are serious about providing good journalism go work for CNN.com, not gaming publications. Result: very little real reporting goes on in this industry.
CNN's Chris Morris, SJMN's Dean Takahashi and MTV's Stephen Totillo are exceptions to this rule.
Pixelantes Anonymous @ May 18th 2006 10:37PM
I wonder how large of a percentage of the audience weren't even pretend-journalists, but just gamers that managed to get tickets somehow?
I know I had a handful of non-journo friends at E3 this year.
Pikachelsea @ May 18th 2006 10:40PM
I agree with SyphonBlue and Shiro. Who cares? Why do you have such a problem with Nintendo fans who are happy with Nintendo's great announcements and success? Sounds like sour grapes to me.
matt t @ May 18th 2006 10:42PM
I think comparing getting excited at a press conference to spreading war propaganda is stretching your point pretty thin.
Whats with these negative posts today, anyway? Why do you feel you need to attack the gaming media? Your guys are much better at delivering news/stories about gaming and making me laugh.
Don't go and get all serious on me..
Pikachelsea @ May 18th 2006 10:44PM
btw: It's not Nintendo's fault that the audience at Sony's pre-E3 conference was DEAD silent as soon as they announced the price, and bored as all get-out for the rest of it.
Why don't you go to a sporting event and order the fans to stop screaming and getting excited there too when their team scores a touchdown or gets a homerun? How DARE they get all riled up when they're happy for the home team. They should just do a quiet golf clap. What a bunch of fanboys.
WedgeTalon @ May 18th 2006 10:45PM
I agree to a point. If something is truly eciting to that person as a gamer, there's a chance there for immediate feedback to the head hanchos. If something is particularly awesome, let them know. If it's particularly moronic, then boo. Just as long as you don't let those personal feelings sway your article too hard.
Besides that, it's a lot more fun to read about the tension and/or excitement in the air as you wait for Nintendo to unveil their Next Big Thing(tm), rather than speaking of how you sat there staring unemotionally at your shoes waiting for a speech from some rep. At that point, you may as well just grab a press release. It would be easier and cheaper for all involved.
mrdelayer @ May 18th 2006 10:47PM
Remember kids: blogging != journalism.
HAL_Laboratory @ May 18th 2006 10:47PM
Boy, that's a laugh, VC -- you don't make any sense, what-so-ever. It's not our job to "limit our fanboyism" at a press conference, because frankly, that's the reason we're all there in the first place. Did you go to college to become a blogster? No. You went to E3 because you're a fan. Don't fool yourself into thinking that Joystiq produces a significant amount of revenue in the "game journalism" (if there is such a thing) business, or even does anything unique that sets itself apart from professional news. CNN, NPR, Newsweek... I would expect them to not explode during Nintendo's conference -- they're real journalists.
You're fans, Joystiq. Don't take it so seriously. If you want a real job, send your resume to said respectable agency.
Staticneuron @ May 18th 2006 10:51PM
There were reports about unimpressive titles at E3 for the PS3. Yet almost no one mentions that the majority of games are under 50% done, the comparable graphics were attained on alpha kits and it is a first to have playable games 6 months before a consoles release. Not to mention that the Semi-decent but not wowing Warhawk was 30% complete.
This is the sentiment I get from another fellow journalist that was at E3
"well surely people were expecting more from them, that was the atmosphere there"
That means it gives reason to dismiss the ps3 titles without mentioning the potential and the huge amount of work the devs have ahead of them. So people who don't follow these news every day will glean this from the majority of reports.
The 360 is going to be the best looking console of this generation. The Wii is going to be the most fun and don't bother with the PS3 because you can get the 360 cheaper with comparable graphics.
So there are no counter points in any of these really or a tone of objectivity. But I guess that wouldn't be fun.
Brandon Daiker @ May 18th 2006 10:56PM
How ironic that this is reposted by Joystiq, the delightful group of bloggers that brought us the coordinated t-shirt wearing monkeys running around like idiots and throwing things up to the front of the seats at Nintendo's Developer Event.
I'd understand it if you people weren't shining examples of how not to act.
Fry @ May 18th 2006 10:57PM
That makes sense to me, but you don't need to go to Iraq reporters as an example. Look at movie critics, you don't see Ebert and other ones scream "OMG" when they see an exciting movie. They're calm and serious, so we can take what they have to say seriously.
Personally, I find it easier to take someone seriously when they aren't dripping with fanboyism. I'm currently having a problem finding honest opinions about the Wii.
Ibere @ May 18th 2006 10:57PM
That's just how things are in journalism for specific ineterests are... do you think it's too different in the case of comic books journalism or.. I dunno, those guys that work for magazines about guns? Even in the case of more maintream entertainment, like cinema or music it's not different (as specialized publications, they focus in subjects that doesn't appeal to the general public). This is less journalism and more product review. I wish things could be different and we have some exceptions (like Gamasutra, Joystiq and GamePolitics), but in general, people wanna read previews and reviews...
And even if it wasn't the case... you, as part of this media, can say that you are not biased? I read several times people here saying you are a Xbox fanboy. I don't see anything wrong on it, this is a blog, it's written by people passionate aout games, and it's normal to prefer some systems or genres and not others. We'll see more and more bloggers in E3, this is how things are now, and I don't expect bloggers to be objective and I know most of them don't want to win Pulitzers, they just want to talk about what they like to people that like the same stuff.
Ryan Cooper @ May 18th 2006 10:59PM
Seconded, Brandon.
Neil @ May 18th 2006 11:04PM
The point is that the members of the press are supposed to be unbiased regardless of the industry. They're supposed to give us information not sensationalism. When you read a gaming news article that reports "Ok, Nintendo is showing some footage now. Oh man, it's a new Smash Bros! I loved this game. With...Snake!? Out of all my time in this industry, this is the greatest thing to happen. evar...I think I'm going to cry!"
Of course this is an exagertaion but, yes, this kind of reporting happens in the gaming industry. It's no wonder that this industry isn't taken serious.
Keith dodds @ May 18th 2006 11:04PM
"I don't see the problem in getting carried away when something is exciting.
It's called human nature."
Journalists are not human.
rateoforange @ May 18th 2006 11:07PM
Mr. Cole has a good point--gaming journalism needs its dispassionate skeptics.
However, it is an entertainment industry--consider how much of a joke the E! channel is and you have a better idea of what the bar is here.
nick @ May 18th 2006 11:13PM
C'mon, Joysiq. You're a blog. A B-L-O-G. You're hardly the real 'press,' no matter how down-in-the-trenches you feel you are. In the journalistic scheme of things you're stepping on the heels of the alternative weeklkies, if anything. Oh yeah: Joystiq's breakin' the stories and tellin' it like it is. Straight up, yo.
Please get off the high horse, Vlad. It's not cool. You aren't either.
Babylonian @ May 18th 2006 11:15PM
@ 3.
Wow, first insinuating that reporters aren't allowed to get excited, then comparing the media's reaction to the next-gen console war to the Iraq war. Take games seriously enough?
striegs @ May 18th 2006 11:17PM
Vlad, surely you're not insinuating that a member of the press with opinions regarding a certain subject cannot remain impartial when reporting on news pertaining to that subject? Just because a member of the gaming press becomes enthusiastic in regards to what is likely his or her hobby does not mean that those same journalists are certain to subversively skew their report with respect to those who enthused them the most. Conversely, just because the guy sitting to your right didn't whoop and holler at the revelation of Yoshi's Island 2 does not mean that he's free of all journalistic bias.
A professional journalist (emphasis on professional) can retain personal opinions while simultaneously presenting topics impartially. Do you think the guys at ESPN don't root for their favorite teams in the NFL playoffs? Do you honestly believe that none of them have ever gone to a football game bare-chested, emblazoned with paint in their team's colors? Yet I don't see Dan Marino, a Pittsburgh native, belittling the Cleveland Browns or Oakland Raiders merely because they're the rivals of his home team. But back when he was the first-string quarterback at Pitt, do you think he didn't support the Steelers from the bottom of his heart, like he had been raised to do?
Furthermore, reports on war are not the best analogy in this situation. While it's absolutely shameful that supposed professionals would allow their enthusiasm to leak into their reporting, the nature of war is generally serious. Life and death hang in the balance, and reporters remain solemn in order to convey reverence towards those who put themselves at risk for the sake of their country. Video games, on the other hand, are rarely so somber. I believe that the reason that video game journalists have never won a pulitzer is because we're having too much fun to give a damn.
elmer @ May 18th 2006 11:17PM
As Donlo was sot of saying.
The thing about the game industry is it's made by gamers for gamers. Oh, and it's covered and reviewed by gamer journalists too. It's really become quite an insular system. The fact that the games industry is worth a little more than say the film industry is mostly down to games costing much more than movie tickets. There are however far less gamers than there are film go-ers. So in reality it's just a niche market with very very large revenue.
Anyway, because only gamers are interested in games and game journalists are mostly interested in covering games for the sake of other gamers, being gamers themselves, there is no drive to cover for the uninitiated. Basically, if you want a dispassionate view, then you need journalists who don't care. And that only exists in industries consumed by the majority of the populace. Which this one isn't. Perhaps if the new systems can appeal to new consumers, then the situation will change.
vrf @ May 18th 2006 11:19PM
Do you really want a completely unbiased press?
"And now for an up close and personal interview with the man who some in the world claim is evil and responsible for the death of millions of innocent Jews. Mr. Hitler, in what ways do you feel the charges leveled against you are unfair and opportunistic?"
Sometimes a spade is just a spade. When the planes smashed into the twin towers on 9-11, I for one connected more with the reporters that showed some emotion--the human reaction to something that was plainly an evil act of terrorism. Those who dryly reported the attack were not professionals, but robots.
Karmakin @ May 18th 2006 11:20PM
Sorry, I disagree.
When you say that you need to be objective and even-minded, you're thinking yourself in the role of a wire, or beat reporter, who's job it is to simply report the facts.
That is not the role of 90% of video game journalists. That's a much smaller 10%
The 90%, the whoopers and the callers, they're the equivilent of pundits. You know, those guys that write on the opinion page every week and go GO DEMOCRATS! GO REPUBLICANS! and all that? Right.
Are pundits the ultimate fanboys?
Anyway. There's nothing wrong with that. But video game journalism, like all review-heavy press structures, is majority subjective, not objective.
Affable American @ May 18th 2006 11:23PM
One of the most interesting reader reactions I've seen in some time. Couple random reactions of my own, to all the previous reactions:
1) Clearly, VC has been perceived as being critical of Nintendo and/or favorable towards MS. Personally, I don't think he deserves the bad rap, but if fanboyism is a problem at professional marketing conferences like E3, I'm not going to pretend to try to quell it here.
2) I'm disappointed in the folks here who are deriding him for taking his job as a blogger seriously. I come to Joystiq to get games and industry news. The bloggers here, by and large, cover the major (and even the minor) news stories of the day. It makes it incredibly simple for me to stay informed. I'm in the games industry, and the information provided by the Joystiq bloggers is very helpful. I'm very grateful that that take their job seriously.
3) E3 is essentially a marketing conference (cf. GDC), which means it is heavily attended by the press. It's the biggest games conference, in terms of media coverage, which in turn translates into E3 being the conference that best permeates into the cultural consciousness. This makes it a pretty damn important conference. It's a bit daft for some of you to say that it's just about games or that the attendees are just gamers enjoying their hobby. Games is a multi-billion dollar industry. It's bloody newsworthy.
4) To #16, I'm very much of the opinion that Joystiq and other major gaming blogs do have a responsibility to report in an unbiased fashion (consider for a moment how many people cry foul each day here on Joystiq, over some perceived reporting iniquity), to yes, to perform in a journalistic capacity.
5) Blogs are part of journalism in the 21st C. Where have you guys been?
6) Lastly, this *is* after all E3, and I think most of the commenters here are surprised that someone (VC) is saying attendees shouldn't yell and cheer. The program is very specifically designed to get people to yell and cheer in fact. But then, VC didn't say the games press (e.g., Gamespot, Joystiq, IGN, etc.) shouldn't express their approval when they are so inclined. Just that it should be expressed in a professional (which, in this field, particularly means "unbiased") fashion. Consider the press at a baseball game. Similarly, they must remain unbiased, and similarly, they likely have favorite teams and players. They may applaud something remarkable, like a homerun or smoothly-turned double play, but they maintain that "distance."
VC is simply pointing out that some modicum of professionalism be displayed amongst those reporting at E3. I'm amazed at the reaction he got for saying this in his post, and I can only conclude that the negative response is due to his perceived fanboyism. Sadly, while I can expect and appreciate a certain level of professionalism amongst the Joystiq bloggers, I can't expect the same of those of us in the comment trenches. Carry on.
MthdDirector @ May 18th 2006 11:24PM
Well Joystiq I applaud you (polite clapping) for taking the high road.
But so long as gaming sites like 1up include a "booth babes" category in their E3 awards (at a convention which was notably absent of booth babes, no less) I think we're in for the long haul. But I'm with you, 100%. Politely clapping of course :)
SetupWeasel @ May 18th 2006 11:26PM
Yeah, now that Nintendo has the excitement we see these types of posts. Where where your high journalism standards when joystiq made posts like this:
http://www.joystiq.com/2005/01/25/nintendo-the-next-sega/
Or the more recent:
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/27/nintendo-revolution-now-called-wii/
Where you actually made the jokes about the name in your post.
It is fine to chastize a certain company for what you feel is a mistake, but if someone else cheers for that company when they do something you like, god help them.
Reporters, a group of which Joystiq bloggers have recused themselves from more than once, are not supposed to evangelize, not even about reporting. They are supposed to report facts, report them accurately. Leave the editorials to the editorial columnists.
In conclusion, Mr. Cole, the kettle is indeed black.
I hope you don't "nuke" THIS post "accidentally."
dkh @ May 18th 2006 11:28PM
If I might ask Joystiq, then...
What do you think of Destructoid's deal?
Not only that... but didn't Joystiq at one point post a picture of him here thinking it was funny? I can't help but wonder about the irony that the professionalism during a press conference you all want was, in some ways, ignored by someone you actually posted about.
I certainly don't intend any disrespect, I'm just wondering about what you guys think in regards to that particular issue (or similar ones).
steve @ May 18th 2006 11:28PM
Awesome nick, you summed up everything I was thinking. Get off the high horse vlad, no pulitzer's ever coming your way.
We just want gaming updates from Joystiq, not social commentary on the lack of integrity in the gaming industry.
Conrad Quilty-Harper @ May 18th 2006 11:30PM
Please guys! Do you want fair reporting of video games, or would you prefer a games press that's well and truly in the pocket of game publishers? Because the latter situation is the situation we're in now.
Junkets, misleading previews (leading to advertisers being able to use quotes like "the best game on the PSP for 2/5 star game), game companies bullying people for leaking information that's fair play to report on *cough*Konami*cough*, stupidly over-the-top fluffy press releases and the complete lack of press investigation into sleazy companies like Gizmondo and Infinium are all major problems that haven't been addressed - and won't be, unless we force the majority of the games press to sort their act out. AND THAT MEANS NO WHOOPING, EXTREME CLAPPING OR SCREAMING!
fawazr @ May 18th 2006 11:33PM
There's an old radio account of The Hindenberg as it caught fire killing it's occupants. The announcer is obviously overwhelmed by emotion as he conveys the carnage to his listeners. Is this bad taste? Perhaps there's no place for weeping when you're a journalist, right?
vrf @ May 18th 2006 11:35PM
Conrad, to equate whooping of some bloggers and game journalists to the kind of sleazy corporate decisions you're referring to is quite a leap, don't you think?
Probot @ May 18th 2006 11:43PM
There is a fine line between enthusiast press and mainstream press. The fact that Joystiq constantly defends some of its more oddball posts with the mantra "we're a blog, not a news site" shows that Joystiq prefers to keep itself less serious.
I wholly support more serious reporting of the game industry. Joystiq is not that place. And E3 is not the place where I expect it to manifest.
The enthusiast press' main concern is advertising the industry. Reviews, preveiws, screenshots, videos, even the news on sites like Joystiq, Gamespot, 1up, IGN, and others serve only to inform the consumer, advertise the product, and perpetuate the industry.
Clammering for change in that segment of news will not happen. The main reason is because the audience doesn't want it to happen. Every Joystiq (or Gamespot, IGN, etc) reader WANTS reviews and videos and gaming-specific news.
If you want people to take game journalism seriously, you're going to have to write serious stories. And they aren't hard to find.
You went to business school, so I expect you could see Infinium's scam as clearly as anyone of us. But where is your Pulitzer worthy article exposing them?
Where are your editorials clearing up the video game violence debate and clarifying exactly what is unconstitutional in the recent laws?
Where is your interview with the doctors with research that links video games with increased aggression?
How about the story explaining why Congress has paid a contracter $7 million for evidence of video game use in terrorist propaganda, and their concluding research including an American fan-made parody video?
Nintendo showing off its new sports game does not deserve a Pulitzer article. It deserves a fan showing his passion for the subject and explaining to other fans why the game is worth playing.
Conrad Quilty-Harper @ May 18th 2006 11:53PM
Isn't the whole point that blogs are about editorial? You'd be hard pressed to find an article on any blog that doesn't include some form of opinion.
"Joystiq does not have the journalistic conviction itself to be making this point."
We're not journalists and we don't claim to be. But that doesn't mean we can't point out a problem. There's a sense of neutrality implied when you say "journalism" which many members of the games press fail to live up to.
"to equate whooping of some bloggers and game journalists to the kind of sleazy corporate decisions you're referring to is quite a leap, don't you think?"
No, I don't. In fact I think this whooping is representative of the problems at large within games journalism. Is there any difference between someone typing "the best PSP game ever" in a _preview_ and the same person cheering during a demonstration at E3? In both situations the person has allowed him/herself to be blinded by hype and therefore has very little credibility.
obo @ May 18th 2006 11:55PM
Keith dobbs: "Journalists are not human."
Damn, I knew there was a reason why I always roll gnomes in WoW.
/journalist
Tukka @ May 18th 2006 11:56PM
I really do not see a problem with a journalist cheering during a video game press conference. If your natural response to something unveiled is enthusiasm, go with that. Your applause, laughter, cheering, whistling, etc. isn't hurting anyone.
It's called getting caught up in the moment. There's nothing wrong with it. It doesn't necessarily mean that when the journalist gets behind their laptop to write up an article, or in front of a camera to do an interview, that they can't be objective and clearly delineate between what is fact and what is their own personally held opinion, impression and speculation.
And it seems to me that when it comes to entertainment reporting, there a little danger in distancing yourself too much from the idea of enjoying yourself too much. It's not like we gamers are living in ivory towers here. How better to understand how other gamers might react to news than to understand what YOUR natural reaction is?
It gives you something else to report. If people read your blog, magazine, or whatever, it's probably because they respect your opinion, not just your capacity to dish out raw facts. Bias is natural, but if you do your best to recognize your bias and report the facts in an fair and equal fashion, it's perfectly okay to share your own personal feelings (as well as that of others) as long as you qualify them as such.
I also think this blog entry is a little ironic given the somewhat disdainful tone that Sony has been treated with in the last few stories. Why restrain your enthusiasm over what Nintendo presents during a press conference when you can't seem to restrain expressing your ill feelings that result from comments made by Sony executives?
Especially since your behavior during a press conference probably won't be noticed by anyone, while what you write in your blog certainy will.
Charles @ May 19th 2006 12:05AM
I think the point that some people are missing is that the various companies pad their press conferences with people they know will cheer. At the Sony event this year I was situated between a bunch of the Sony GAP people who aren't journalists but members of their community. These were the howler monkeys who were making all the noise at the Sony event and from what I've heard Nintendo brings them in as well and I would guess Microsoft does the same thing.
The problem lies with the assumption that everyone at the press conference is a journalist/blogger/whatever, it's just not the case (much like the attendees of the exhibition itself)
idioteraser @ May 19th 2006 12:12AM
Funny these supposed howler monkeys weren't heard on the Sony E3 press conferance video.
The Nintendo conferance on the other hand the cheering was spontaneous and appers to have been actual enthuism.
People pretty much agree that the Nintendo conferances are always fun and light hearted while Sony is considered an absolete snoozefest.
lacking cleverness @ May 19th 2006 12:14AM
Quite frankly, I'm glad that gaming journalism isn't as staid as news journalism.
Bias is a funny thing. It doesn't merely appear in overt opinion. The words you choose and the stories you cover also reflect bias (i.e., if a publication/writer only covers one company, the other companies are done a disservice, regardless of how neutral the coverage of that company was).
I take the opinion that complete neutrality is impossible and unnatural, and I believe it is one of the reasons people distrust the media today: it claims complete objectivity, but cannot deliver. Instead, writers often take veiled shots at people they disagree with, and then cover themselves by claiming "journalistic objectivity."
I think the "punditry" system works well for the gaming press. If we know where certain writers are coming from, we can view their information with a grain of salt.
Provide the people with the most information possible, and let the Marketplace of Ideas decide.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Amos @ May 19th 2006 12:17AM
A little harsh, wasn't that? I mean, of course it's the press's duty to remain neutral in it's reporting, but you seem to forgetting 2 key things.
1. The press conferences at e3, while there to inform, are -supposed- to be exciting, fun events. The difference between this industry and, say, the dry glass industry, is that everyone is there for the purposes of ENTERTAINMENT. It is, after all, the Electronic *Entertainment* Expo. Everyone there enjoys this stuff, including the people presenting it. That's why they got in this industry in the first place (if it was for other reasons, it'd be obvious in sub-par or unispired work/reporting). Who says you can't have a little fun while doing your job? I don't think getting excited during a conference will necessarily hinder your reporting of it, nor does it "give the companies an edge" if they put on a more entertaining show. Any critic worth half an ass will be able to tell the difference between fluffy and crunchy entertainment in their post (or even during) event writeup. Heck, even the dry glass industry could use a little humour and fun now and then at their conferences...
2. Now, I hate to say this, but you ARE -a blog-. I disagree with the retards claiming blogs aren't "real press." Blogs can be more informative than news sites at times. I know I got a helluva lot more information and hands on opinions from e3 from here than I did at, say, 1up. And they were, for the most part, very honest and informative. However, A BLOG has a different set of standards than a normal, dedicated news site. They're allowed to be opinionated, that's what they're their for. As long as they don't dishonestly report, or, not report information, they're allowed to harp their opinions on these piece all the live long day. That's what seperates a blog from a news site. I, at least, come to blogs for real, honest opinions from "reporters" I view as more real people who aren't caught up in a corporation such as Gamespot or Ziff Davis. They're opinions and honesty are straightforward, and the differences between the blogs are the different sorts of opinions, besides the quality of qriting, you get from their reporting. That's what makes them fun, interesting, and more informative for people wanting to see the angle from those sorts of opinions. They can go to lots of blogs if they want variety, or just one if they find they prefer. I, personally, have found I prefer Joystiq (you can thank Tycho of PA for that plug ~_^).
Alkaiser @ May 19th 2006 12:21AM
This was a PRESS CONFERENCE! Did you see any members of the sports press start hooting and when Micheal Jordan announced his comeback? No! Do the fools in the entertainment press cheer when J-Lo announces she's in a new movie? NO!
PRESS. CONFERENCE. If something about that gets you all giddy, you're not a journalist...at all.
It's fine for polite applause and laughter, but this is supposed to be a press conference where you do reporting and not cheering and grandstanding.
That being said, I've seen some of the stupidest things I've ever seen out of the video game at Nintendo press conferences. The year the Gamecube was announced some guy brought a copy of Zelda and asked Miyamoto to autograph it...DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE!
This is unforgivable.
If you're going to pretend you're a journalist, keep the act up the entire way. If you're not, then I don't ever want to see you using any of the following words in your so-called reporting, "unbiased", "objective", "reasonable", "open-minded", and any synonyms thereof.
obo @ May 19th 2006 12:22AM
I'm not going to work too hard at this, but here's a few members of the "press" at E3 - apparently defined here as "not bloggers."
Heather Newman, Detroit Free Press
Seth Schiesel, New York Times
Dean Takahashi and Mike Antonucci, San Jose Mercury News/Knight-Ridder
Lisa Baertlein, Reuters
Steve Tilley, Sun Media (Britain)
Ryan Pearson, Associated Press
Matt Slagle, Associated Press
and I'm tired, but there's a few more
jadenguy @ May 19th 2006 12:34AM
i really have two directions i want to go with on my comment here.
the problem with gaming publications today is that a great deal of them are zines, and it's nearly impossible not to be. that word has many connotations to many people, but basically, as i have understood the term, and wikipedia coroborates, is a self-publicated work for a niche crowd. the rolling stones magazine was only a seroius publication after rock became nearly universal and they estabolished themselves as a political voice of a generation. there was a war going on, and they were there, talking about it, letting people know what was going on. i honestly think joystiq is the best gaming news site around, with a smart set of readers, mostly. but at the end of they day they are all fans, readers and bloggers alike. if the most impassioned story of the day is "fans are too excited," then perhaps we have a ways to go. tangentially, i doubt cat fancy ever complains that people cheer too hard for best in show.
the second thing i wanted to say is that the e3 is a hype machine. they work as hard as they can to create hype, and sometimes it works. and not everybody at those conferences were actually journalists.