This is in the Home and Garden Goods Section, which is presumably something you would be reading specifically to find out about H&G goods.
It is pretty lame, I agree, but it's not pitched as straight news.
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Polygon posts ad/re-worded press release as 'News' & deletes user comments [Removed]
- Thread starter Gowans
- Start date
This is in the Home and Garden Goods Section, which is presumably something you would be reading specifically to find out about H&G goods.
It is pretty lame, I agree, but it's not pitched as straight news.
EternalGamer
Banned
If you guys would just post about how delicious Pizza Hut pizza is, I'm sure they wouldn't be deleting your comments. I don't see the problem.
3rdamention
Member
Yeah, their comment cracks me up. The way I read it is: "If you have anything negative or critical about our site, please email us so nobody else will ever see it. We can then decide what to do about it, privately, and leave you wondering whether we ever read your comments/email at all. If you post suggestions, negativity, or critical statements of us in a comment section we will delete it, delete all other comments, close down commenting all together, then stand by our 'code of ethics.' We are Polygon, the future of Gaming Journalism started 3 days ago! Thank You"
gaming_noob
Member
Let's run these guys out of business. Who's with me?
You posted as much in the Weekend Confirmed thread. You just said that they were good until this morning when the post went up. So all of the sudden everything they say in under question because they've used press releases within their blog centric news section?
TheJollyCorner
Member
Good lord... Pizza Hut® is killing it around here today.
First I see the TMNT Pizza Hut® thread, now there is this Pizza Hut® situation and games journalism.
Pizza Hut®.
The tears, they just won't come.
If this is the way they do business....to hell with them.
Ads masquerading as news, censorship on critical voices. Fuck that.
Ravensmash
Member
Really? I'm really surprised people are still so hung up on that stupid gif.
It's quite obviously a tongue in cheek video based on the arrival of one of 2011's biggest games.
Lord forbid that a games writer is excited about a highly anticipated title, he should act strictly bored at all times and show little emotion relating to a hobby he's passionate about. The fact that he WANTED to play the game obviously rings alarm bells - maybe reviews should be done by random members of the public, that way we'll get a truly objective opinion.
I like pepperoni. What do you like?
Iconic!
Good lord... Pizza Hut® is killing it around here today.
First I see the TMNT Pizza Hut® thread, now there is this Pizza Hut® situation and games journalism.
Pizza Hut®.
They are being used in marketing ploys - and worse yet - they don't even realize it, having deceived themselves into thinking they are doing something proper and good. Shawn Elliott hit the nail on the head in the other thread.
They are actually oblivious to the notion of impropriety and outright reject the possibility, which makes it even tougher to get them to have any introspection on the matter.
Instead of considering "how does this appear? does it come across that we are actually endorsing this press release in some fashion?", they do the equivalent of sticking their fingers in their ears and yelling.
There would literally be no news if they didn't report on press releases and other things provided by companies. That is how you find out about stuff in entertainment news. There is no other source, besides the occasional leak, to get the story from "honestly" and there isn't "actual work" they could be doing that would let us know about the games coming out.
And they are doing "actual work" apart from that in there long feature articles and whatnot. But even those, when they apply to soon to be coming out games, are going to be mostly sourced from and approved by a company.
Should they do their best to not just copy and paste press releases? Yes. Should they post every inconsequential press release (like this one)? Of course not, but what is relevant to their audience is up to each site to decide.
Barbacoatl
Banned
I see this article posted in the appropriate section, not in the news section. Gamasutra puts all the press releases together intact, I think that's much better than publishing them as news in the news section of your site. But if you don't see a problem I can't help you help yourself.
BurnOutBrighter
Banned
The Skyrim Dancer was right.
It IS a trivial existence.
It IS a trivial existence.
WrenchNinja
Member
Exactly. Thats what I find sad about it.ThusZarathustra said:
EternalGamer
Banned
No, it should also be partially up the readers to decide whether or not they want to sold fast food ads and junk food ads as "news." That is why allowing them to discuss it on their site is so important.
True Fact, Arthur Gies is one of my favourite guys to listen too, he puts his self out there and doesn't fence sit, I love that.
Hydrogen Bluebird
Member
To edit my previous statement, I'm actually ok with using press releases for news since yeah, a lot of information is released that way. What I don't like is advertisements/promotions disguised as news.
arglebargle
Member
i cant keep up with these journalism threads, so this may have been said, but what gaf and the community is doing is sorta like actual journalism, unlike what the "journalists" are doing. gaffers have found links between some of the people reporting on this story and the companies they are supposedly reporting on, found comments that put the lie to claims made by editors about their publications, and generally calling people to account for their actions. that is what journalists do. its pretty impressive to me; crowd sourced journalism or whatever this is.
Nice, it took them less than a week since their launch to show the world that they're exactly the same as almost every other gaming site, completely in the pocket of PR. At least it's not like it happened in the middle of a big scandal due to that very reason, right?
Right. Very true. The comment deleting is quite terrible.
McElroy?
TheJollyCorner
Member
But what are you drinking?
I only agree with him about 1/3rd of the time, but im always curious what he says.
Hateraide.
phantomspiker
Member
Lord_Nergal
Member
Comments are back up.
EDIT : Have tried posting twice, it looks like they haven't allowed new comments yet.
EDIT : Have tried posting twice, it looks like they haven't allowed new comments yet.
The Faceless Master
Member
wow, i've never seen a reputable site that just deletes all negative comments... sounds like a shady business to me...
Barbacoatl
Banned
haha, this just keeps getting better.
BurnOutBrighter
Banned
Ah, the Schrier/Totilo defense.
"Hey look guys, we do real journalism too! Look at that instead of our ethical blunders!"
3rdamention
Member
Dear God! Thanks for posting. I know video games are "serious business" but Geez! That is a must watch. Sitting on the porch, looking into the sky, driving around with wife and child in the back seat, worrying about screwing things up, letting people down, that shit is depressing.
TheJollyCorner
Member
Can I ask why everyone is so upset?
Do you guys really have nothing better to talk about? I see adverstories on all sorts of websites. It's not Ike they're harming your free reading of any given site.
Isn't this just basically announcing a DLC promotion? I see these stories literally everywhere on various game sites.
Sounds like you guys are just whining purely for the sake of it.
Do you guys really have nothing better to talk about? I see adverstories on all sorts of websites. It's not Ike they're harming your free reading of any given site.
Isn't this just basically announcing a DLC promotion? I see these stories literally everywhere on various game sites.
Sounds like you guys are just whining purely for the sake of it.
So if the NYT posted the Pizza Hut deal under a Games section, that would be OK?
I agree though, even if you passed the Pizza Hut shit off as news, it's still a lame news story that shouldn't have been "reported" in the first place.
ThusZarathustra
Member
It's 100% Stockholm Syndrome. They wouldn't know professionalism if they saw it.
TheJollyCorner
Member
might be a stretch, but perhaps you should read a few pages of this thread for the cheesy, crunchy details (and possible inspiration for some Pizza Hut®)?
Lord_Nergal
Member
After months of promoting their new brand, after months of proclaiming the second coming of GAMEZ JERNALIZMS, after months of asking for a 'chance' to prove that they are different, that they aren't like every other press release regurgitator, Polygon has proven that they are exactly like everyone else, except for a prettier, newer layout.
Barbacoatl
Banned
The moment when Polygon publishes ALL the PR pieces sent to them I will shut the fuck up, for then I will have seen their true nature.
Ravensmash
Member
Because apparently Polygon are the biggest enemy in games media today..
Not necessarily sure why, because people were keen on insulting them even before the documentary/site launch.
Ok, it's lazy journalism and the comment thing is silly, but I'm not sure that or the PR copy/paste warrants so much anger.
You could try reading the thread and perhaps you'd get your answer. Hint: comments.
Visualante2
Member
lol they've been out a week and already my doubts have been confirmed.
Kelegacy
XBOX - RECORD ME LOVING DOWN MY WOMAN GOOD
If we all subscribed to every publishers' press release we could cut out the middle man and render gaming sites redundant.
It is so easy to "report" on this kind of stuff. It is much harder to create original articles and dig a bit deeper. I thought the reason sites have numerous staff is to fill in the gaps while other people are working on stories. Then when those stories post the other guys are busy working on theirs. Keep the stories and original articles always coming so even on slow days you don't have to resort to posting press releases and advertorial.
I would love to read a site that addresses more of gamings positives, negatives and great critiquing of our industry vs. the usual pr copy and paste and unabashed advertising that goes on. Every preview still reads like a advertisement, chock full of uplifting and positive charm, and then the games come out and they blow. How was this not seen earlier? The preview builds were awesome and the review copy suddenly was different?
It is so easy to "report" on this kind of stuff. It is much harder to create original articles and dig a bit deeper. I thought the reason sites have numerous staff is to fill in the gaps while other people are working on stories. Then when those stories post the other guys are busy working on theirs. Keep the stories and original articles always coming so even on slow days you don't have to resort to posting press releases and advertorial.
I would love to read a site that addresses more of gamings positives, negatives and great critiquing of our industry vs. the usual pr copy and paste and unabashed advertising that goes on. Every preview still reads like a advertisement, chock full of uplifting and positive charm, and then the games come out and they blow. How was this not seen earlier? The preview builds were awesome and the review copy suddenly was different?
ThusZarathustra
Member
If that dude can't be bothered to read the thread he really isn't worth a response.
Reading shit before you respond to it is just basic etiquette.
Reading shit before you respond to it is just basic etiquette.
Lord_Nergal
Member
OH.
MY.
GOD.