Feature: The Blame Game: Where Do You Keep Your Integrity? Subscribe to this RSS feed
The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Montly is out and apparently everyone is on the take! In his montly letter, editor-in-chief Dan Hsu accuses a number of publications of taking ad dollars to curry coverage favors. But is all the hype nothing more than just that - hype?
The video game industry is an incestuous one, and not only when it comes to publishers and developers. but also when it comes to journalists. Even if you're a freelance writer, you've more than likely worked with a number of other publications, many of which are likely competitors. Every gaming publication is vying to out-do the other, whether in regards to a big world exclusive cover story, exclusive review or preview, or just the latest juicy gossip or news. Sometimes, deals are brokered and a publication is forced to watch a competitor walk away with a coveted exclusive. Still, one ideal usually remains: you don't question the journalistic integrity of the piece's author or the publication.
The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly gets right to the heart of this sticky debate. EGM's Editor-in-Chief, Dan Hsu, suggests that a number of publications--in both the print and online markets--are on the proverbial "take." But Hsu complicates matters by not overtly naming any of the suspect outlets. Despite the cloak-and-dagger routine, we need to look at what exactly these accusations imply. While great editorial content can certainly sell a magazine, the real cash comes in the form of advertising--the more ads there are, the more money the magazine makes. This is nothing new.
Electronic Gaming Monthly Editor-In-Chief Dan Hsu
But when do advertising and editorial integrity cross? And when (and if) it does, what does that say about our industry? Dan Hsu writes about this precarious relationship as if this is the very first time that such a situation has occurred, This is, frankly, nothing more than a scare tactic on his part. While despicable and downright shallow, buying influence in a magazine has been part of the publishing industry ever since the US dollar first became legal tender. But it's how you react to this situation that says the most about your journalistic integrity. This is hardly a new problem, or one that's unique to EGM, so Hsu's observations come off as more vindictive than insightful. Sure, some publications will fall prey to influence-peddling. Others won't.
But if you're going to accuse the competition of journalistic improprieties, what's the point of doing it half-assed? If EGM is truly taking the high road, why not name names? Dan Hsu himself writes that, "Those guys can kiss my ass . . . We've never been and never will be beholden to any outside party. If we miss out on some coverage...well, too bad--ultimately, they're punishing their own customers (you guys), not us." If that's the case, do us all a favor Dan, and start naming names, since you've made it pretty clear that you're not afraid of the publisher/developer/advertiser repercussions. You should put your money where your mouth is.
When you get down to it, what else does a journalist have besides their integrity? More importantly, when you begin questioning someone's journalistic integrity, does that make you any better than the person you're accusing? The answer: no. While you may not agree with a competitor's tactics or missteps, at the end of the day all you can do is stand by your work and let them stand by theirs. However, once you begin pointing fingers and making veiled accusations, something funny happens: I'm forced to question your integrity.
[UPDATE]
I've received a number of messages from readers and colleagues alike wondering exactly what Dan's letter said. Initially, I only posted a short quote from the piece, but rather than simply type out his entire letter, I'm going to make you track down the issue of EGM that it appears in. Reprinting the article here wouldn't be fair to Dan or EGM. But, I will provide one additional quote from it, just to leave you with a bit more material to digest.
"It looks like gamers won't miss out on any of that coverage, though -- a few of our competitors have editorial real estate for sale, and business is looking good for them"
