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...and these are the “professional” journalists?

by: Jeremy -
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Would you like a good laugh on this fine Wednesday? If so, consider checking out this link, particularly the first bulletpoint of the article.

The article that I have pointed to you is one that was posted this morning on CNN.com’s tech blog. The article, which was written by a paid professional (Doug Gross) stumbles immediately out of the gate; yet these are the “go-to” resources that big name media outlets use for their information on our industry. This just baffles me...

The article outlines 5 potential uses that Microsoft may have in mind for Skype now that they have acquired the communication software. According to Gross, gamers have “largely been unimpressed” with the Xbox 360‘s chat functions and opt for “other consoles like the PlayStation for multiplayer games that require real-time communication”. Wait... what?!?! Seriously? Someone “educated” on the trends of our industry stated that, in writing.

Am I being punked? Surely this is some sort of practical joke... if it isn’t, I don ‘t understand how Mr. Gross could ever be taken seriously when he speaks on matters of the technological-kind.

Sure, the blunder isn’t a huge deal but it just infuriates me that the “real deal” news agencies in our society rely on individuals who clearly know nothing about the gaming industry for information. It is no wonder that the gaming industry as a whole is vastly misrepresented in the mainstream media as time and time again improper information is referenced for such stories. On what planet is the Xbox 360 not the “go to” console for multiplayer gaming? The last time that I checked, Xbox Live was the top when it comes to the console market.

Do you think that the day will ever come when the gaming industry is accurately portrayed by the media? Will the likes of Doug Gross and Dr. Gene Spafford (of PSN breach fame) continue to be the “go to” sources for information related to our beloved trade? How do we, as gamers and bloggers, go about making sure that this trend ends and changes are made for the better?