GTAIV: Mainstream reaction roundup

With all the controversy surrounding anything even resembling violence or sexual content in games taking over news networks we felt it was time to round it all up for your viewing disgust pleasure. Have you ever heard the expression, "taking your cake and eating it too?" Watch as networks and talking heads die to portray any resemblance of pop-culture understanding, ironically alienating a segment of their current and future viewers, by grasping at straws to the content in Grand Theft Auto IV then cutting to commercial break, post fear-mongering, for a quick cash out.

There's violence and criminal activity in Grand Theft Auto? Who knew?! You know, other than anyone who can read the title that is. Sexual content? Yes. No argument there. However, watching the spin added to the optional sexual material included in the game makes us wonder what happened to investigative reporters.

If we made a claim here and were wrong our readers call us on it, but time and time again "respectable" reporters from mainstream networks get away with shoveling countless false claims against the gaming industry.

Much like GTAIV's own radio news network, the whole thing is a giant joke. Jump in for some choice selections of news links and video clips revolving around GTAIV.

Reading material

• Adam Sessler and Jack Thompson debate GTA on NPR (Joystiq)
  

• Rockstar North President Leslie Benzies' Elvis Theory (Scotsman.com)

• The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI): Niko "plays on untrue stereotypes." (MCVUK)

• Grand Theft Childhood co-author Lawrence Kutner: "For most kids and most parents, the bottom-line results of our research can be summed up in a single word: Relax." (Seattle P-I)

• Youth-gang crime expert Michael Chettleburgh: GTA "just not a primary driver of why kids join gangs." (Metro)

• Timothy Plan, a "morally responsible" mutual fund, explains why it will not invest in Take-Two

• IGN fuels Jack Thompson's rage (Arstechnica)

• UK man stabbed waiting for his slice of Liberty (BBC News)

• Editorialist Ken Schram, "Relax. It's not going to steal souls ... rot minds. It's a videogame." (KOMO TV)

• GTA writer Lazlow Jones, "It's a satire of not only New York, but of American consumerism and culture." (NPR)

• CNN Reporter learns investigative reporting Live: "The average gamer [is] 26, 27, 28 years old? I never realized that!" [CNN Video]

• The Early Show: The cultural impact of GTAIV (using fan cover art) [CBS Video]

• San Francisco Chronicle: Waiting in line with shockingly normal gamers [SF Chronicle]

Video segments

Fox proves researching console manufacturers is too big a step.


Steinberg informs CBS News to demographics and medical studies.


Glenn Beck proves CNN's research department only has access to Wikipedia while blaming gaming, music, television and radio for the destruction of American society.


1170 KFAQ in Tulsa, OK, allows "friend" Jack Thompson to claim the infamous IGN video was an officially released Take-Two created piece.


Senator Obama reminds parents that videogames and television shouldn't be raising their children.


Conan shows the lighter side of GTAIV (Part 1 of 5).


The Daily Show with Jon Stewart wonders why no one is rioting.