How did various media outlets report the FTC gaming report?

By Alexander Sliwinski

Here's some light weekend reading about politics, the media and gaming. Earlier this week the U.S. Federal Trade Commission released a report about the gaming industry. The real fun for industry folk was seeing how all the various media outlets would report the news and what their headlines would be. Below is the list, shamelessly ripped-off from Dennis McCauley over at GamePolitics, of various media outlets and their take on the report:

  • FTC says content curbs fall short – L.A. Times
  • Report says the young buy violent games and movies – NY Times
  • FTC: self-regulation of violent content working – Beta News
  • Children still see ads for violent content – Advertising Age
  • FTC scolds marketers about violent content – AdWeek
  • FTC: violence still marketed to youths – Hollywood Reporter
  • Report: Violence still aimed at kids – Variety
  • FTC violence marketing report show general compliance – Broadcasting & Cable
  • FTC Report: Violence Still a Problem in Marketing – TV Week
  • FTC: game industry self-policing improving – GameSpot
  • FTC: M-rated games still marketed to minors – Next Generation
  • FTC: games are better regulated than music, movies – Ars Technica
  • FTC report: mixed reviews on industry's ability to self-regulate – Joystiq
  • FTC: game industry stricter than movies, music – Kotaku
  • FTC report praises, spanks video game industry – GamePolitics

As McCauley asks in his headline accompanying the list above, "Were these media outlets reading the same report?" The various headlines make us think of the classic question: If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to see it, does it make a sound? Some say yes, some say no, some say it explodes into various pieces, some say the Earth Mother picked it back up, some say there is no tree. The various headlines and the stores with them is a good read on the diversity of voice in the media — especially when it comes to gaming.

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