Feature: Making a game of gaming journalism Subscribe to this RSS feed
Should it be a game?
This new hiring model, in its present state begs the question; by having writers compete publicly, are we reducing the job of gaming journalism by making it a prize? Something they feel they've won, rather than earned? Hsu admitted that the viewer-voting method employed in Review Crew Survivor wasn't the ideal method of hiring a permanent editor, saying "It might find somebody who is getting in based on their looks or personality more than the actual writing. I am not here to hire America's Next Top Model. I'm to hire a great writer." Turner had a more positive outlook on FiringSquad's more focused contest, saying "I'm hoping they [the winner] come into it with a mindset that we have a whole new set of rules, or lack of thereof, to create content that is really going to wow people." .
When beginning this article, I had reservations about the process. Gaming journalism already has already been maligned for many reasons, whether it's being deemed an extension of gaming PR or a "job that allows you to play games all day". When I decided to get in touch with, Koehn, the winner of EGM's competition, my attitude was altered. His succinct summary of the competition--"Send in an entry, don't worry about past experience or connections, and if you're good we'll give you a shot."--spoke more about the concept than I could.
There's still worth in the old-fashioned way. Not this old, though.
That's not to say there's no validity to the old-fashioned hiring methods. For one thing, it's the best way to acquire seasoned writers who have already proven themselves. While the concepts described earlier definitely have their benefits, they can't match the comprehensiveness of the interview process, and no matter how many rounds of competition you put a writer through, it's not the same as on-the-job training.
Prospective up-and-coming writers can still make use of more traditional methods to find work. Scouring sites like Craigslist, JournalismJobs, and the "Careers" section of the large sites will sometimes yield open entry level positions. Almost all of the major websites and publications make use of interns, which oftentimes leads to more permanent work. Those looking for an opportunity to make an impact in the area of blogging should try honing their skills on the many fansites across the web. They may not pay well (or at all), but experience is vital in this industry, and there's no better way to find out whether you want to be in a line of work than to do it for free.
We watch shows like American Idol knowing that the winner won't revolutionize music. Heck, they spend four months doing nothing but cover songs. These competitions mark a unique opportunity for everyone to foster a new breed of gaming journalism. If the editors seek out and cultivate new voices, the audience recognizes and appreciates them, and the writers themselves bring a fresh perspective instead of trying to fit into the mold that has already been set, then this method could be the mark of a new breed.
