Broken Toys Random Comments About Games and Tractors

1. 

   TPRJones
   October 18th, 2006 - 15:10

   The word “journalist” doesn’t mean what it used to.
2. 

   bullet
   October 18th, 2006 - 15:39

   No kidding. Since when did Gabe and Tycho become “journalists?” Do they know about this?
3. 

   Aufero
   October 18th, 2006 - 15:42

   “Influential gaming journalists” is two different brands of oxymoron at once.
4. 

   Freakazoid
   October 18th, 2006 - 17:06

   According to that, just from posting on your blog I am already a journalist! Go me!
5. 

   Michael
   October 18th, 2006 - 17:15

   I would point out that the bigger crimes is the likes of Chris Grant (Game|Life) and Chris Kohler(Joystiq) being excluded, while she and I are on there.
6. 

   Apache
   October 18th, 2006 - 19:25

   People who report on videogames aren’t “journalists”.
7. 

   Raph
   October 18th, 2006 - 21:46

   Actually, it’s a pretty good list of the folks in gaming media who matter. Gabe and Tycho actually matter more than most of the folks on that list, in terms of reaching the audience and n terms of their weight their opinion carries.
8. 

   covert.c
   October 18th, 2006 - 22:57

   Ouch.
9. 

   J.
   October 19th, 2006 - 02:09

   Now I have to wonder why you’re reading Next Generation.

   I’m a journalist. I don’t report on games. I report on the people making games. Fear my mad skills.
10. 

    Nyght
    October 19th, 2006 - 06:38

    Poor Zonk. Maybe we should start a pub photo charity fund.
11. 

    Tide
    October 19th, 2006 - 08:08

    yes PA guys are worth noting and influential, but maybe not in the same list though as Dean Takahashi. And as far as Zonk… there are others in that list maybe who need more scrutiny, but its a fair cop (copping an attitude doesn’t gain you expertise).

    Maybe the new criteria is access to readers, since bubblehead and Zonk via /. just have big audiences. DeanK has to rely on people actually being able to read and understand things like books.
12. 

    chabuhi
    October 19th, 2006 - 09:00

    Oh, ffs … one of my master’s is in journalism, from Medill … can I be a journalist too?

    Pardon my elitist attitude, though I feel somewhat entitled to it — I guess having an intarwebs connection makes you a journalist now.

    I own a gun. Does that make me a cop?
13. 

    Hellfire
    October 19th, 2006 - 10:27

    Only in Texas.

    The saddest part of that list is that actual REAL journalists make cameos throughout. I may not agree with some of them (GG Newsweek, GG.) but they are legitimate professionals.
14. 

    Jason Ballew
    October 19th, 2006 - 13:22

    As an aside…from Dictionary.com

    Journalism: \tab the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business.

    Journalist: One who practices journalism.

    Because it’s games doesn’t make it any less journalism, and it should honestly be treated as such, not only by those who mock it, but by those who practice it (I’m looking at YOU, Spong).

    Yes, a lot of the time we’re just posting PRs that we’ve been all but spoon-fed. But there’s nothing saying that we can’t (and shouldn’t) go beyond that.

    And if you write a review, and it’s published, it’s a form of journalism, and that makes you a journalist.

    Freelance (or free, even) journalists are no less ‘real’ or legitimate than their professional and print-based companions unless THEY THEMSELVES make themselves less, by their own actions (or inaction).
15. 

    J.
    October 19th, 2006 - 13:25

    In the age of the Internet, everyone can be a journalist, however. That doesn’t mean they’re responsible, that doesn’t mean they’re answerable to anyone, that doesn’t mean they even have to take personal responsibility for what they write. Freelancers are only as good as their editors.

    And when it’s about games, given how unevenly attention-whoring game companies can be, you can be a “game journalist” by just making yourself available to solicit reviews of whatever you feel like playing and writing about.
16. 

    Jason Ballew
    October 19th, 2006 - 13:43

    Agreed. Which is why I said that it is up to the ‘journalist’ in question to actually be a journalist, and not just some guy with a blog who bought a used copy of Spyro for the PSX and decided to review it.

    I’m very lucky in that I have a good boss at GT who has a vision and cares about it.
17. 

    TPRJones
    October 19th, 2006 - 15:01

    Most of what these people do isn’t dealing with “news”, though. It’s editorialization in the form of reviews, with the occasional interview thrown in.
18. 

    Aufero
    October 19th, 2006 - 23:22

    if you write a review, and it\’e2\’80\’99s published, it\’e2\’80\’99s a form of journalism, and that makes you a journalist.

    Your opinions aren’t news unless you’re a celebrity, and if it’s not news, you’re not engaged in journalism.
19. 

    Jason Ballew
    October 20th, 2006 - 10:34

    Going by that criteria, there’re quite a number of people in print media who aren’t journalists, as they’re not celebrities.
20. 

    Soulflame
    October 20th, 2006 - 11:20

    Fifteen Minutes Ago would be a great name for a rock band.
21. 

    J.
    October 20th, 2006 - 16:13

    Not everything available to read in print media is journalism.
22. 

    Aufero
    October 21st, 2006 - 15:04

    Going by that criteria, there\’e2\’80\’99re quite a number of people in print media who aren\’e2\’80\’99t journalists, as they\’e2\’80\’99re not celebrities.

    Exactly.
23. 

    Rich Weil
    October 21st, 2006 - 21:05

    I don’t know the guy, but Luke Smith’s pic scares the hell out of me. Right out of an 80’s TV series.
24. 

    Hellfire
    October 23rd, 2006 - 09:33

    My intent was not to imply that print was ZOMG AWESOMES and the only journalism as clearly that’s not the case. There are excellent e-journalists who do their homework and put thought to words with a keen and masterful understanding of the English language.

    Then, of course, you have the Morgan Webbs. Hell, Mike & Jerry over at the Arcade are closer to real journalism than she’s ever been and they’re nothing of the sort!

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