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[kitsuneyo]

I just wanted to give credit to the amazing Junior Member kitsuneyo who actually screencapped this gem

Aww shucks
I used to read CVG and I just knew they would change the story and headline, so it had to be done. Plus it was my shoddy video capture of the advert that led them to make the mistake!

 

[Oersted]

via @chrisremo via @SMBlob

"Are Video Games Art?" (2012, digital photograph)

Merciless and masterful.

 

[Oersted]

Or maybe he does it when he knows he won't be reprimanded over it.

There's no street cred to be had as an unemployed, hard-hitting journalist. Or money, for that matter.

You know, there are certain lines between unemployment, PR and jurnalism.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

Oh my God, I can't stop laughing

Are they serious ? how much more shameless can it be?

 

[jluedtke]

Or maybe he does it when he knows he won't be reprimanded over it.

There's no street cred to be had as an unemployed, hard-hitting journalist. Or money, for that matter.

Oh, I agree with you completely. But I just wanted to make a distinction. I think the premise of this thread is faulty because nobody in their right mind - probably not even the man himself - believes Geoff Keighley is a "journalist".

 

[Jake Tower]

Uh... what am I witnessing here, Neato

Tremendo bringing the truth

 

[More Fun To Compute]

It's just a valuable public service to let us know that we can snack and get a head start on Halo 4 at the same time. All you cynics are just looking down on this fine public spirited gentleman for no reason.

 

[megalowho]

Getting paid for doing your job is the worst, you guys. Total monsters. Can't see past it, nope.

 

[Dennis]

Getting paid for doing your job is the worst, you guys. Total monsters. Can't see past it, nope.

Do you understand what the job of being a journalist normally entails?

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Do you understand what the job of being a journalist normally entails?

Rewriting press releases in the unique style of your publication?

 

[Goldmund]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjXSI6O9lUo

Shameless.

Part of what I'm talking about today is the double XP program that Mountain Dew and Doritos are bringing back which actually allow gamers to rank up inside of War Games in Halo 4 by purchasing Mountain Dew or Doritos. So, that's a great example of a brand saying: "Hey, we actually want to give benefit and value to gamers." So if you buy, uh, you know, uh, if you buy, uh, Mountain Dew, you buy Doritos, you get a code, you go to dewxp dot com or doritosxp dot com, enter that code, link it to your gamer tag and then you're gonna get some experience in the game. So, it's-it's, uh, it's a good partnership.

Amen.

 

[Dennis]

Part of what I'm talking about today is the double XP program that Mountain Dew and Doritos are bringing back which actually allow gamers to rank up inside of War Games in Halo 4 by purchasing Mountain Dew or Doritos. So, that's a great example of a brand saying: "Hey, we actually want to give benefit and value to gamers." So if you buy, uh, you know, uh, if you buy, uh, Mountain Dew, you buy Doritos, you get a code, you go to dewxp dot com or doritosxp dot com, enter that code, link it to your gamer tag and then you're gonna get some experience in the game. So, it's-it's, uh, it's a good partnership.

You know, when it is spelled out like that it becomes crystal clear just how shameful it is.

Is GAF really OK with this? Maybe I am just old-fashioned but this is nauseating to me.

 

[RedNumberFive]

Rewriting press releases in the unique style of your publication?

Nailed it!

 

[Goldmund]

You know, when it is spelled out like that it becomes crystal clear just how shameful it is.

Is GAF really OK with this? Maybe I am just old-fashioned but this is nauseating to me.

The little shopping channel spiel that ensues is even worse. "Oh, is it that easy, Geoff?" -- "It's just that easy!" -- "Wow!"

 

[Jake Tower]

Do you understand what the job of being a journalist normally entails?

Ctrl+V, Ctrl+C press releases and reviewer guides

 

[eznark]

Rewriting press releases in the unique style of your publication?

They're heroes.

 

[RedNumberFive]

Legally, he needs to be indicating that it is a paid presentation like other infomercials.

"The following is a paid promotional presentation by PepsiCo and Microsoft..."

At least my man Billy Mays was able to shill with a bit of elegance and class.

 

[Lime]

samsung galaxy note

 

[fizzelopeguss]

The little shopping channel spiel that ensues is even worse. "Oh, is it that easy, Geoff?" -- "It's just that easy!" -- "Wow!"

The journalism pep talk at the end with all the corporate paraphernalia meticulously arrayed around him is particularly delicious i thought.

How much does a human soul cost? ask mr keighley.

 

[megalowho]

Do you understand what the job of being a journalist normally entails?

Does it ruin the credibility of TV sports analysts when they drop in promotions and ads whenever there's dead air? Does it make them untrustworthy and unable to tell the difference between something that makes their employers money and what they believe in?

I prefer to judge people based what they actually contribute to their fields, not the shittier things they are asked to do for their sponsors (and not even video game sponsorship, at that). The entertainment industry is silly, and Geoff plays by the rules. That's all I take away from this.

 

[Dennis]

Does it ruin the credibility of TV sports analysts when they drop in promotions and ads whenever there's dead air? Does it make them untrustworthy and unable to tell the difference between something that makes their employers money and what they believe in?

Yes.

And this is much worse because he is advertising a thing (Halo 4) which he is supposed to have a journalistic approach to.

 

[RedNumberFive]

There truly is a defense force for everything here.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I guess this doesn't bother me one bit because I never considered Keighly to be this hard hitting hardcore journalist. He's the TRL-era Carson Daly of videogames. His claim to fame is being involved with GameTrailers and the VGA awards, both of which are littered with ads and publisher co-promotions. This is pretty much par for the course and I don't see how it taints anything else he has done or will do in the future.

 

[Kintaro]

<looks at OP...shrugs>

I never look at Geoff as a "journalist." That ship has long sailed. He is more of an infomercial or something. He pitches softball questions to publishers and developers so they can look good. GameStop TV has him everywhere shilling a bunch of games coming out that month or upcoming in the next month. His job is simply to make games look good.

As long as we understand all that, he is all good.

He is the walking Penny Arcade joke.

"How awesome is your game?"
"So awesome!"

 

[omonimo]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-ps3-the-final-hack
I know, I know, is not a bad article but everytime Leadbetter post bad news about ps3, I have the feeling he proves a sort of a physical pleasure.

 

[GQman2121]

I guess this doesn't bother me one bit because I never considered Keighly to be this hard hitting hardcore journalist. He's the TRL-era Carson Daly of videogames. His claim to fame is being involved with GameTrailers and the VGA awards, both of which are littered with ads and publisher co-promotions. This is pretty much par for the course and I don't see how it taints anything else he has done or will do in the future.

100% agree. The Carson comparison is spot on, as Geoff is very good at what he's tasked to do. He certainly doesn't pull any punches when it comes to interviews at e3. This past confrontations with Reggie post press conference are now annual events in and of themselves. Also, when discussing games with others on the Bonus Round, he'll propose relevant questions to the panel that guys like Greg Miller just don't do on their comparable online shows. I'm sure if Halo 4 ends up being shit, Geoff will be right their listing off its faults.

However, this Dew shit is embarrassing for all involved. The interviewer is clearly in on the promotion here as well because the line of questions is so obviously staged. But I don't see why Geoff should take the brunt of the eye rolls. We all know that if we were offered the same payday we would take the money and run.

 

[JDSN]

Still better than straight up getting 750,000 from Microsoft. Not by much, but still.

 

[Lime]

I guess this doesn't bother me one bit because I never considered Keighly to be this hard hitting hardcore journalist. He's the TRL-era Carson Daly of videogames. His claim to fame is being involved with GameTrailers and the VGA awards, both of which are littered with ads and publisher co-promotions. This is pretty much par for the course and I don't see how it taints anything else he has done or will do in the future.

Good and fair post. Should have been the first reply.

 

[Massa]

The Apple conference going on right now reminds me that the tech gadget blogs make the video game enthusiast blogs look like the pinnacle of journalism.

 

[Goldmund]

The Apple conference going on right now reminds me that the tech gadget blogs make the video game enthusiast blogs look like the pinnacle of journalism.

The whole "you're not real journalists" accusation has had a pretty positive influence on select people in the gaming press. It didn't always result in self-important navel-gazing.

 

[Stabby McSter]

I love the Mountain Dew Gamer Fuel Halo flavor, so I'm kinda torn on the matter.

 

[Jake Tower]

100% agree. The Carson comparison is spot on, as Geoff is very good at what he's tasked to do. He certainly doesn't pull any punches when it comes to interviews at e3. This past confrontations with Reggie post press conference are now annual events in and of themselves. Also, when discussing games with others on the Bonus Round, he'll propose relevant questions to the panel that guys like Greg Miller just don't do on their comparable online shows. I'm sure if Halo 4 ends up being shit, Geoff will be right their listing off its faults.

However, this Dew shit is embarrassing for all involved. The interviewer is clearly in on the promotion here as well because the line of questions is so obviously staged. But I don't see why Geoff should take the brunt of the eye rolls. We all know that if we were offered the same payday we would take the money and run.

This is basically my view on the matter.

I'm very much ok with criticizing 'gaming journalism' for various things, but I'm also ok with how certain types of promotion or cross-promotion works, particularly when it is generally separate from 'critical' functions of the enthusiast press. Cross promotion that involves non endemic advertising is probably the best that can be hoped for. Obviously, the high-fructose corn syrup and flavored sawdust is being promoted along with Halo 4; however, I don't think it really crosses the line of sponsorship 'contaminating' editorial.

 

[Valnen]

It's like people only do these things because they can get paid. And that's just really sad.

I hope that's sarcasm. You have to pay your bills somehow. There's nothing wrong with them wanting to make money doing their job.

Not to me.

I see a guy degrade himself by sitting on a pile of junk food he is paid to shill I am not going to care one bit about anything else he has to say about games.

How can he perform any kind of journalistic function when he is paid my these people?

Degrade himself? You have to be trolling. Nobody without some sort of weird issues with advertising would think this is somehow degrading. Seriously, wow. You're probably one of those people that thinks one can of soda will give you diabetes or something too.

 

[faceless007]

I guess this doesn't bother me one bit because I never considered Keighly to be this hard hitting hardcore journalist. He's the TRL-era Carson Daly of videogames. His claim to fame is being involved with GameTrailers and the VGA awards, both of which are littered with ads and publisher co-promotions. This is pretty much par for the course and I don't see how it taints anything else he has done or will do in the future.

His Behind the Games articles were absolutely the work of a hard-hitting journalist. The Trilobyte, Half-Life 2, Doom 3 and Daikatana articles were fantastic pieces of journalism. Sadly it seems his career has gone in a different direction since then. (I still haven't read the Portal 2 one, though.)

Degrade himself? You have to be trolling. Nobody without some sort of weird issues with advertising would think this is somehow degrading. Seriously, wow. You're probably one of those people that thinks one can of soda will give you diabetes or something too.

Shilling for a product in the industry they profess to cover is absolutely degrading and damaging to the credibility of any respectable journalist.

 

[Yug]

Blournalist - More than a blogger, not quite a journalist.

i.e. a good size of gaming media

 

[Fried Food]

The only thing I see wrong with the video is the fact that all the marketing crap is being included in an interview he is doing for ANOTHER "outlet". It would be different if it was his own video the GT or whoever put together.

But whatever, Geoff IS a games journalist and is very knowledgeable about the industry in general. I got no problems with the guy and consider myself a fan.

 

[Dennis]

All hope is lost.

People don't even understand what a journalist is supposed to be anymore.

 

[fatigues_gasolini]

I just assumed thats what his bedroom looks like all the time.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Amen.

I remember back when we worked on doing that sort of thing in RPGs. I'm a bit of a luddite that way.

 

[not_so_special]

Or to push an agenda so that you can get a job at the company you are stroking... like Shane Bettenhausen.

how many of ex1up people ended on microsoft?

 

[RedNumberFive]

All hope is lost.

People don't even understand what a journalist is supposed to be anymore.

Pretty much.

It's harder for this younger generation, as the bar has already been set so low.

 

[Gsak]

VIDYA GAEM JERNALISM, FUCK YEAH!

 

[Absoludacrous]

All hope is lost.

People don't even understand what a journalist is supposed to be anymore.

Says the guy comparing video game journalists to the writing staff at the the NYT.

 

[RedNumberFive]

Says the guy comparing video game journalists to the writing staff at the the NYT.

... And you just proved his point.

 

[Meccanical]

I wonder if he ate those doritos.

 

[RedNumberFive]

I wonder if he ate those doritos.

And keep that trim figure? Doubtful.

 

[Modedude]

I don't think this is exclusive to game journalism, there are many outlets in other enthusiast press that basically function as PR regurgitators, contrarians and others who exist just to generate hits.

 

[Absoludacrous]

... And you just proved his point.

The system as it currently exists doesn't allow, expect, or even want the same level of journalism. It's enthusiast press, not war reporting.

I mean I'm all for quality, and not the dreck we usually get, but the average spike TV viewer certainly isn't. And I would think anyone who was serious about their videogame press would be able to understand how the system works and be glad that someone in the position of Keighly is able to do stuff like the 'Final Hours' pieces while shackled under the way the system is currently set up.

Basically, he's not the guy to attack here. He's still produced quality stuff, despite his position as TV pitchman on a cable network. Blame the system and the consumers who don't care about quality writing, and instead just want to yell at people for giving Uncharted 3 an 8.whatever.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

You know, when it is spelled out like that it becomes crystal clear just how shameful it is.

Is GAF really OK with this? Maybe I am just old-fashioned but this is nauseating to me.

He is free to make money. I don't have a problem with that. He will never be a "journalist" or a professional of integrity in that field in my eyes.

The system as it currently exists doesn't allow, expect, or even want the same level of journalism. It's enthusiast press, not war reporting.

I mean I'm all for quality, and not the dreck we usually get, but the average spike TV viewer certainly isn't. And I would think anyone who was serious about their videogame press would be able to understand how the system works and be glad that someone in the position of Keighly is able to do stuff like the 'Final Hours' pieces while shackled under the way the system is currently set up.

Basically, he's not the guy to attack here. He's still produced quality stuff, despite his position as TV pitchman on a cable network. Blame the system and the consumers who don't care about quality writing, and instead just want to yell at people for giving Uncharted 3 an 8.whatever.

Well precisely. He works for Spike. That alone discredits any serious journalistic integrity. If he at all cared about that integrity he would have found a job at a more respectable company. I don't blame him for his decision though. He gets to talk about video games, attend conferences and behind the scenes events in the entertainment industry and is paid for it. As long as he doesn't seriously consider himself a journalist I don't see a problem. Now if on the other hand he started calling himself the Dan Rather of Videogame Journalism then he would be a complete joke.

 

[StreetsAhead]

Although not the same thing at all, after Microsoft's e3 conference this year featured ads for Usher and Prometheus, nothing about this industry is surprising to me.