Bad press for gaming?

[Sheri Chambers]

Hello Fellow Gamers!

 

Yesterday an article was published about our gaming initiative in a small local newspaper.  The article was not very positive, but what really upsets me is the way they put down gamers in general. 

 

Has anyone had to deal with this type of press?  Any advice?  Many staff members want to write the editor, but I'm not sure if that is the best advice.

 

In case you're wondering, here is the article:

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/columns/story.asp?id=11736

--
Sheri
 

[Scott Nicholson]

> Yesterday an article was published about our gaming initiative in a small
> local newspaper. The article was not very positive, but what really upsets
> me is the way they put down gamers in general

I find drawing comparisons to the way people reacted to having
recreational movies, and even *gasp* fiction in libraries helps to put
it in perspective.

Speaking of putting things in perspective, when I loaded up the page,
the sidebar ad was
http://adserver.orlandoweekly.com/openads/adimage.php?filename=dancers_royale_wow120.jpg&contenttype=jpeg

I find it hard to take criticism seriously from a publication that
runs an ad for "Not your Average Nudie bar" alongside the column.

Hey... maybe that's what you need to go into to appease the folks
behind the newspaper! Pole Dancing in the Library!

Seriously, this is a time to take the "at least people are talking
about us" attitude. That message is going to reach some people who
will think that it's a good idea and might get involved. I went
through something similar when my "Board Games with Scott" video
series was lampooned on Google Current (
http://www.current.tv/google/GC02295 ). The end result was much
greater awareness for my video series.

Scott

[Ian McKinney]

The author of this column obviously hates teens, hates libraries, and hates gamers.  Rather than respond to any specific insult from the article, which could potentially spread the negative vibe to others who have not read it, I would focus instead on talking up what you're doing in terms of the various positive aspects - perhaps how gaming programs relate to the 40 developmental assets, or the connection between gaming and information literacy, or shoving the social aspect right back in his face with pictures of cool teens doing their thing.  Not literally shoving, you understand. 

I think the guy is clearly stuck in a high school "I'm-superior-to-geeks" rut, and hasn't noticed that it's now cool to be a geek, and that many geeks are higher on the social ladder than he is, and that geeks everywhere are embracing their geekness.

--Ian

ps it occurred to me after reading a second time that possibly the author was trying to be funny.  If so, it didn't work.

[Megan Johnson]

This seems like a small circulation paper of questionable quality. In particular this reads more like an editorial than a news report. The best thing I can think of to do in a case like this would be to send out a positive press release that points out all the benefits of having games in the library, including the benefits of video gaming as widely reported in various well researched literature that popular media tends to ignore. In particular, I love this article by Will Wright (creator of the Sims) from Wired Magazine:

 

"Dream Machines: Will Wright explains how games are unleashing the human imagination." Will Wright. Wired. April 2006. p110-112.

 

There is also this book, which could be very helpful in debunking those awful stereotypes that the writers of this article seem to believe:

 

Got Game: How the Gaming Generation is Reshaping Business Forever by John C. Beck

 

In any case, I wouldn’t worry too awful much about it. Gamers are pretty fierce individuals when it comes to defending their medium of choice. They get really feisty when people trash talk games. I think they’ll defend your choice quite well.

 

On another note – I find it interesting that people like this complain about video games in libraries and how the “fatasses” who play them will only get fatter. Like reading, listening to music or watching a movie ever made anyone thin. ;) I’m quite confident I burn more calories playing my video games and gesturing angrily at the screen than I do quietly reading by my lamp. J

 

Megan Johnson

Teen Services Librarian

Rochester Hills Public Library

500 Olde Towne Road

Rochester, MI 48307

Phone: 248-650-5683

Fax: 248-650-7131

---

[sbell_324]

Calm down. ^_^

A) This guy is obviously the kind of rancoteur who gets paid by a
paper to yell about things so as to sell papers. This much was evident
from his writing style. The only people who listen to that stuff are
people who have already abandoned reason altogether.

B) Gamers are used to this sort of closed-mindedness. We used to get
uppity about it, but now we take the "Yeah man, whatever" approach so
long as they don't seriously try to encroach on our hobby. Let 'em go
on- at the dawn of the 22nd century, we'll see who's had the last
laugh.

My advice is, leave him alone. First of all, he should be beneath your
notice. More importantly, it's possible a response will make the
situation worse. Most likely he'll just grumble and let the matter
drop, but he could also start a full-scale war of words. That could
turn into a political fight to the death, and he wins no matter what-
if you win, he'll simply find some way to declare a moral victory and
go on doing like he always has, having increased the passion of his
fans in the process. Don't let him profit off insulting you. If he
starts proposing laws or filing lawsuits or otherwise trying to whip
up an angry mob against you, that's the time to make a calm, rational,
well-reasoned response. Until then, he's the equivalent of some
cantankerous drunk.

-Steven

[SueS.]

I feel like going down there and kicking his arse with my level 70 WoW
paladin. Spinster Librarian indeed!
Sue
Marlboro Library, NY

[Todd Krueger]

I think the Charlotte editorial is the more "problematic" of the
two... as she is a columnst for an established daily. The letter to
the editor response was well-written, but I can understand the core of
Ms Helms' opinion. *We* all understand that there are benefits to
libraries having videogames and game programming, but I'm guessing the
majority of any service population wouldn't expect libraries and
videogames to be an obvious match. And, it's the positive research
about gaming can't instantly negate the years of
less-than-enthusiastic studies.

The Orlando Weekly appears to be a free public pickup -- the kind
that tends to have some uberhip, curmudgeonly, pseudo-intellectual
etc. writers on every staff. While I don't like the swipe at
librarians and gamers, it's so nasty that I can't imagine many people
taking it seriously.

Todd

--
Todd Krueger
Collection Development
Baltimore County Public Library
Towson MD 21204
todd...@gmail.com
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