Sony Blackballs gaming blog Kotaku

[7th lutz]

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/so...-rumor-report/

Earlier today, gaming blog Kotaku reported on a rumored PlayStation 3 feature, set to be unveiled during next week's Game Developer's Conference. The key word, of course, is "rumored," a word which has since gotten the blog into hot water with Sony. The original article, which boasted one anonymous source, a smattering of founded speculation and repeated use of the aforementioned keyword, detailed "PlayStation Home," a visual mixture of the Xbox 360's achievement system and the Wii's customizable avatars.

Though most rumors come and go with little input from publishers ("no comment" has become de rigueur), this one became notable as soon as Kotaku was asked to take it down. In a calm and straightforward follow-up article, Kotaku's Brian Crecente reveals that the blog's failure to comply has led to a complete dismissal and excommunication from Sony. It seems clear that such a response lends the rumor more veracity, but the response itself is far more interesting in what it means for the rest of the blogosphere.

What did Kotaku do wrong? In contacting Sony for comment on the initial story, Crecente was informed that publishing the report could harm the business relationship between the two entities. Unresponsive to thinly-veiled threats, Crecente published the story, citing concern with informing readers and not with maintaining a corporation's announcement schedule. In an e-mail to Crecente, David Karakker, senior director of Sony's corporate communications, states that, "I am very disappointed that after trying to work with you as closely as possible and provide you and your team with access and information, you chose to report on this rumor.... I can't defend outlets that can't work cooperatively with us."

To me, sony blackballing a web blog means the rumor is true and it means sony wants to control all media people in the industry for reporting, meaning it is a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at.

[Fighter17]

I always love Kotaku for this.

[Kitsune Sniper]

What the shit is Sony smoking? Jesus.

[boatofcar]

Looks like they worked it out.

[GillianSeed]

What did Kotaku do wrong?

Moot point now I guess... but if you make your living as a journalist covering a corporation, and that company extends to you special priviledges as a result (such as access to news and products before the general public has access), you need to play by their rules if you expect to keep those priviledges. Companies place embargoes on their news material all the time, this is nothing new.

[Technosis]

Sony's at it again huh.

[meancode]

Moot point now I guess... but if you make your living as a journalist covering a corporation, and that company extends to you special priviledges as a result (such as access to news and products before the general public has access), you need to play by their rules if you expect to keep those priviledges. Companies place embargoes on their news material all the time, this is nothing new.

Embargoes on news is one thing. Reporting on a rumor, that is entirely different. Its not like Sony gave Kotaku a release about the *rumored* PlayStation Home and then Kotaku just went and posted the news before the embargo date.

[GillianSeed]

Embargoes on news is one thing. Reporting on a rumor, that is entirely different. Its not like Sony gave Kotaku a release about the *rumored* PlayStation Home and then Kotaku just went and posted the news before the embargo date.

Yes, but they ran it by Sony and Sony asked them not to publish it. That's certainly Kotaku's perogative, but they shouldn't have been surprised when Sony reacted the way they did. I guess we won't know 'til next week if Sony had a valid reason to ask them to withold it. But if this had happened in my industry, the reporter in question certainly would not have been high on the list when it came to future opportunities to receive advanced notice on sensitive news stories.

Bloggers want to have it both ways -- on the one hand they want to be treated like "real" journalists with all the priviledges that go with it, but on the other they routinely flout some of the basic tenants of journalism -- such as posting baseless rumors without checking facts or stating sources simply to pad their hit count. Evil Avatar, for example, recently asserted that Microsoft was buying both Capcom AND the Chronotrigger brand. Yeah right.

If a "real" journalist were to pull such stunts, their credibility would suffer... but again, bloggers expect a free pass.

[jajaja]

Article is updated:

[Update: Sony and Kotaku have settled their differences and reopened communications. As Brian Crecente puts it, "We were doing our job and Sony was doing theirs and now we can both continue to do so." Thanks AssemblyLineHuman.]

[agbulls]

I can tell you from working in a corporate marketing department that Kotaku was clearly within their rights (obviously) to publish what they wanted.

However, the bizarre thing to me is that Sony decided to ask them to remove it in the first place. Everyone knows that when a site is asked to remove content (movie sites and gaming sites are very common nowadays) it essentially validates the rumor. The best thing Sony could have done was comment with a "No Comment" if asked about the home feature. The stupidity here is beyond me. The cat is outta the bag. Their big announcement is already out. And who's fault is it?

Not Kotaku's. Its Sony's.

Good work to Kotaku for sticking it to em--that type of risk for their blog garners a lot of respect in my opinion.

[rbudrick]

If a "real" journalist were to pull such stunts, their credibility would suffer... but again, bloggers expect a free pass.

True, true, but this is an advantage of a blogger. They don't have those confines, thus they have more freedom of speech, you might say. The censors and editors don't get to do their job because they don't exist. In the end, this becomes a more benficial (theoretically, but hardly always in practice) source for the reader.

In today's mass media industry, the readers require this kind of source, especially as people become increasingly distrustful of traditional news sources.

-Rob

[GillianSeed]

In today's mass media industry, the readers require this kind of source, especially as people become increasingly distrustful of traditional news sources.

Heh, I'm far more distrustful of bloggers because they usually lack the sort of editorial oversight you describe.

But don't get me wrong, they're free to post as many screwball video game rumors as they like -- just don't expect the same level of access as professional journalists who play by the rules.

[Eteric Rice]

I'm more interested in how Nintendo will respond to this. The cat is indeed out of the bag, and this gives them just enough time to cook something up.

Man I love companies.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

If a "real" journalist were to pull such stunts, their credibility would suffer... but again, bloggers expect a free pass.

Sorry, but when a journalist sits on a story because the subject of that story asked them not to print it, *THAT'S* when their credibility suffers, not the other way around.

Not that the credibility of video game journalists even matters.


...word is bondage...

[jajaja]

I'm more interested in how Nintendo will respond to this. The cat is indeed out of the bag, and this gives them just enough time to cook something up.

Man I love companies.

There is a Sims game comming to the Wii, but it got more of a kiddie/anime style than the normal Sims games. I wonder if it will have online support. Then it could be something simular to the Sony thing. Maybe not quite the same, but alittle atleast hehe

[GillianSeed]

Sorry, but when a journalist sits on a story because the subject of that story asked them not to print it, *THAT'S* when their credibility suffers, not the other way around.

You're thinking of investigative journalism, this is different. Investigative journalists don't accept free stuff from the companies they're investigating, like a debug PS3 unit. Product reviewers rely on that kind of corporate interaction, however, and thus have to tread a finer line.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

You're thinking of investigative journalism, this is different. Investigative journalists don't accept free stuff from the companies they're investigating, like a debug PS3 unit. Product reviewers rely on that kind of corporate interaction, however, and thus have to tread a finer line.

And therefore as I mentioned, they have no credibility at all.


...word is bondage...