EA Calls Out Fox News Over Mass Effect Smear
EA Calls Out Fox News Over Mass Effect Smear
January 24, 2008
Jeff Brown (left), VP of Communications for Electronic Arts, has requested that Fox News correct Monday's disgraceful trashing of Mass Effect.As reported by Kotaku, Brown sent a letter to Teri Van Horn, producer of Fox News' Live Desk program on which the Mass Effect hatchet job was orchestrated. From Brown's letter:
As the parent company of BioWare... EA would like you to set the record straight on a number of errors and misstatements which incorrectly characterize the story and character interactions in Mass Effect.
Your headline above the televised story read: "New videogame shows full digital nudity and sex." Fact: Mass Effect does not include explicit or frontal nudity. Love scenes in non-interactive sequences include side and profile shots - a vantage frequently used in many prime-time television shows...
FNC voice-over reporter says: "You'll see full digital nudity and the ability for players to engage in graphic sex." Fact: Sex scenes in Mass Effect are not graphic. These scenes are very similar to sex sequences frequently seen on network television in prime time.
FNC reporter says: "Critics say Mass Effect is being marketed to kids and teenagers." Fact: That is flat out false...
Brown also named several of Fox's own programs for displaying a level of sexuality far beyond Mass Effect's single, rather tasteful love scene:
Do you watch the Fox Network? Do you watch Family Guy? Have you ever seen The OC? Do you think the sexual situations in Mass Effect are any more graphic than scenes routinely aired on those shows? Do you honestly believe that young people have more exposure to Mass Effect than to those prime time shows?
Comments
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
lmao. You're right. XD Okay I concede. Go EA! Finally you do some more right in the hope we'll forget all the stuff you F*** up.
Better?
As for Cooper's Amazon page, while some see it as childish, I believe they were simply illustrating to her what it is like to have your work attacked by someone who has never even seen it. Quite a few said as much.
I honestly hope that Fox News is hit HARD by this.
If EA wanted to, they easily have the defamation of character suit given the obvious libel and slander. Though thats only a civil suit rather than criminal... Id like to see Fox make a forced broadcast apology where they say WHY they got it wrong. Lack of research. But, will probably never happen. Live in hope though
"THIS IS MADNESS!!"
"Madness? THIS...IS...BIOWAREEEEE!!!!"
Let's not forget that Dan Rather was fired for not checking his facts. If he gets fired for that, then Fox Noise should teminate some of their own as well.
"I DO think that giving bad reviews on that book based on that experience makes us just as hypocritical as the others. Fighting libel with libel won’t go anywhere. On the other hand, I found some GENUINE reviews that shows their dislike of the book."
Right, and I agree... but there may be another consequence. If those reviews impact her sales it might well hit her where it hurts the most... her wallet.
This might accomplish two things. It might make her think twice about commenting on gaming, which I think we all agree is a good thing, and it might also at least make her consider doing her homework.
It also might demonstrate that the gaming community has enough clout to fight back against being bullied like this by the mainstream media. If we, as a community, can influence the sales of non-gaming media whor... *cough*, I mean figures then maybe we might raise some eyebrows.
I still don't think that posting those negative comments on her books is a mature thing to do, or a good idea, but it might not be such a bad thing at the end of the day.
On a side note, apparently fox doesn't wanna talk about the issue. http://kotaku.com/348692/ea-fighting-mad-about-fox-news-but-still-no-cor...
However, I applaud them for this. Hopefully, someone higher up at Fox (presumably someone with brains, but you never know with Fox,) will hear about this and be more than a little pissed.
(they just scratch their heads with a blank stare if you use them)
Jeff Brown used so many facts(six or so) and made so much sense that the fox news crew could implode if they read it.
Even if they do air corrections the damage has been done and cant be repaired. Seeing as how not everyone who watched the old clip if going to see the new one ect.
But all in all a step in the correct direction i think.
What I AM curious about is whether or not Martha Whatserface will actually respond to some of the emails that she got from gamers, myself included.
Despite that Right to lie, were I in a position to do so at EA, I'd still sue, not only FOX but Cooper Lawrence, for fraud, at the very least. Moreover, I'd be questioning any form of license to practice that Ms. Lawrence might have. Even further, I'd be writing letters to the college(s) where she obtained her degrees questioning whether the type of "professional" she's proven to be (a bigot as shown through her gender bigoted comments, and lying and deceiving others regarding the issues of her (lack of) research on this game as well as the (mis)quoted study) is the type of students they put forth into society. Or if maybe it brings into question whether or not her degrees were actually honorably and ethically earned and perhaps, if poosbile, should be revoked.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
A. Harm.
B. Malice (they ignored Keighley and clearly didn't research the story)
EA's a big company and this would make news stations tread a bit lighter. I'm not a lawyer though. Just curious. Oh and, Hi everybody!
That would only confirm in their eyes that you are a part of the EVIL VIDEO GAME ESTABLISHMENT! Like, the establishment will knock you do.own if you go against them, man! It's a conspiracy. JT WUS RITE OH MAH GAAAAAWWD.
The rest of us would be laughing our asses off. :P
You know, I've never actually thought about that before...
Well, if you think about it, every "new entertainment" has been attacked for its corrupting influence. In the 50's it was Rock and Roll. In the 60's was TV and movies. The 70's ... well, the 70's were special and everyone was too hopped up on dope to care. Metal was hit in the 80's (music always seems to be a popular target because it's so dynamic). So, it's just video games "turn." It's like the Rush Week initiation procedure for new forms of entertainment. You have to be hazed by the media until all hell breaks loose.
This argument is valid. When I was younger, before I had my own television, I could be in the living room playing Mario, and my dad would come home from work, kick me off the TV, and turn on a World War 2 movie. Fox shows those, and guess what they hav,e and hint, it's not the Barny happy fun time hour.
For the Kotaku article called "Quack Gets Amazon Book Rating Spammed"
It seems that a lot of gamers took offense to Lawrence's comments so much that they decided to comment on her books the same way she commented on Mass Effect, with false accusations or no research at all.
movie sales go down whenever a big title game comes out, so yeah video games are taking people away from the movie and TV industry.
Better she knows how it feels to be falsely accused.
(Yes. I realize that most of the posters figured that out. This is for everyone else. :P)
Go EA. Finally, you do something right.
PS, EA, if you are watching, thanks again....and get us Spore. Please.
Yeah, It is about time. Well past time someone got up and socked it to them, as well as the fact their own shows show off more then the game does. I, myself cannot believe I forgot about Family Guy. It's animated too.
OMG! Its mass marketed to children and teenagers! IT'S A CARTOON!
Just kidding. But you get the point, no? Not EVERYTHING is for children.
- Warren Lewis
And yea, I don't foresee Fox retracting any of their statements. They are not in the business of saying they are wrong, and the law will protect them. Fox will only bring it up if they can squeeze in the last laugh.
- Warren Lewis
At this point I really feel like the biggest obstacle for the games industry is convincing the non-gaming public that most games are not being marketed to children anymore. This is not the 80's. Just like with any other entertainment media, there are different types of games marketed to different demographics, and Mass Effect is a prime example of a game that is being specifically marketed to an older crowd.
Hey now, EA does a lot right, they just do a hell of a lot more wrong.
I saw part of the Fox-thing, and it really seems like they should be suing for slander.
And since when did The Daily Bugle become a news organization? If you just replace video games with Spider-Man you'd essentially have J. Jonah Jameson there.
http://www.debone.com/boycottFoxNewsSponsors.html
Feel free to call, write and email them saying how we will not support a company or product that in turn supports a station full of sensationalist liars.
Also, demonstrating that the statements were made maliciously, that they are unreasonable beliefs, and that they do actual harm to EA are all difficult points to prove. It'd be a tough battle, and in the US close calls regarding the legality of statements always are decided in favor of those making the statement. The case exists, but it's not easy.
(Of course, should Fox refuse to apologize when offered refuting evidence, the case might become easier. Who knows...)
"This is not a legal threat" is corporate speak for "This is not a legal threat yet."
I don't know if American TV has ethical standards (my country does), but if it does, there's an obligation from Fox News to correct the story, even if it just a 10 second prepared statement.
Exactly what I was thinking. Who owns Fox? What sister companies have links to video games?
Back to business, Even though I work for a competing game company I'm glad EA took a step in the right direction and if they don't get the response they want i hope they press further.
Hi Andrew! Gosh, we really need you over in the UK right now.
In case anybody missed Nightwing's comment about Faux News winning the right to lie, here's the story in full:
http://www.projectcensored.org/Publications/2005/11.html
Agreed. While I work for an EA competator as well, it brought me and my office great joy to see them stand up to slander like this. It is about time that someone decided not to lay back and take it as the "new medium" and fight back for our rights not only as gamers, but as game developers, reviewers, and the industry in general. I know that if I had met one of these Fox people on the street, and they called me a "pornography peddler" that would be grounds for a solid punch in the mouth.
A) Ignored and never read
B) Talked about for five seconds before opening up with Cooper again talking about how men are evil and video games enforces their male ideals
C) Given to Fox's resident Troll Bill O'Riley who will do nothing but insult EA and Gamers in general.
Employees expose Fox News Distortions
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9E-5KivgwO4
Fox News Admits Bias:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mZFZ_w_oXXc
Rupert Murdoch of Fox News Admits Manipulating the News for Agenda:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0K2pLo8JV5Y
This is why I stick to either network news, CNN, or MSNBC. Fox News is garbage, plain and simple.
If the letter didn't threaten to sue, it should have.
I gotta agree with you on the points you made, but I'm hopeful that this is a step in the right direction. Companies need to stand behind their games just as EA is doing here and the ESRB has gotta start helping out with more then just spouting information vids about the rating system. The systems been around for how many years? It works already, we get the idea! Start standing by your ratings, game companies put you in charge to be a self regulating body, either start by helping the fight with morons like Fox, or we might just see fit to remove you...
Kudos to the CEO of EA!
Knowing media types, Fox's likely response will be to hem, haw, and hope people get bored until the threat goes away.
Actually, ignoring it might not be a bad thing. The comments that they're making are obviously false and could be considered defamatory and/or slanderous. If they don't offer a retraction, then EA might sue them. That would be a real shot in the arm for the VG industry if they sued for slander and WON.
Sadly, they will probably try to "spin" it (I still call BS on that whole "no spin" crap they talk about..they must keep the whole building rotating so they don't notice how bad it is) and try to make it look like either we are fighting to keep porn in kids hands, or as a bunch of kids throwing a fit. They will NEVER give an apology or even admit that they lied. Sad but probably true.
@GamerDad
You cheeky bugger. You had a few people scared for you.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599211793/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
It's only fair. She "reviews" a game without ever playing it (or doing any form of research on it), and so we "review" her book without reading it.
But I'm not a leader, and just another of the rank and file... and I find those "reviews" hilarious.
I've already said it, but I'll repeat it again : it's not fair. It's "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", and the people who do it are in no way better than her. She acted stupidly ? Of course. But does it give us the right to be as stupid as her ? Wouldn't it be smarter to email her directly and point her mistakes in a civil way ?
Worse, they make gamers look like a bunch of vengeful, angry, immature ayatollahs. Plus, put yourself in the shoes of the non-gamers who never heard about this : they will only see angry off-topic reactions without understanding why there is such anger. And they'll consider Cooper Lawrence as a "victim of a gamers' harrassment campaign".
Talking about Fox News, has anyone read previous coverage of "Mass Effect" ? It makes me wonder if they read their own reviews :
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311910,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316996,00.html
I did post a comment to the Boardwalk Ambush book mentioned in a prior artcile, but that book I borrowed from a friend and read, so I felt justified in commenting on that... book (spoken in slathery disgust). At any rate, neither Harrison nor Lawrence will be collecting royalties from me.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
PS. OT: Great to see you back in action GamerDad! :)
its ON!
that Cooper woman can shut it, she is just another sensationalist pro-woman turd, she'll be dead soon anyway, soon all of these people will be dead and we will take their place when we are their age (god forbid I look like such a jerk when I am pushing 40!)
I know gamers of ages 9 through 99, it is amazing to think that people still classify games as a child's entertainment, amazing and upsetting
good luck EA (man I feel dirty now!) but yeah, turn this into a proper lawsuit, they may have the so called "right to lie" but they don't have the right to attempt the restriction/sabotage of sales of any medium of entertainment, and on that grounds they sure as hell have a case!
Oh, and I just started playing Mass Effect myself. It is one thick piece of "Space Opera" (and I mean that in a loving way). I would expect any "sex crazed teenage boy" to have fallen asleep hours before the sex scene occurs.
As to the game having negative female stereotypes, I seriously wounder what game this woman was thinking of. Thus far all the female characters I have run into are strong, intelligent and skilled in their professions. The female human who is in my party has earned my respect for single handedly comforting a man who's wife had died in the line of service. If anything I would accuse this game of bening too positive in it's depictions of women thus far! Come on, we can be slime balls too!
I don't want to appear to be a broken record on this, but I've been saying this all comes down to marketshare. There is alot of people in old-media who are more than willing to slander new-media. It becomes difficult to be un-biased and disinterested (basic journalistic qualities) when a issue in one way or another effects your own paycheck.
I'll give you an example of that in action. CNN entertainment reporter AJ Hammer was talking about the WGA writers strike when he mentioned that Warner Brothers (part of Time Warner, parent company of CNN) was going to lay off a few thousand people. He said on air how he was upset about the whole situation. Also, I once heard a conversation between FOX News and FOX Business news commentator Neil Cavuto talking with Murdoch (shortly after News Corp finally aquired The Wall Street Journal) about how Cavuto was upset with his own daughter beacause she only reads news online and never reads any newspapers. They talked about that for a couple of minutes.
My point; when a large corparation (like Time Warner or News Corp) has any kind of issue marketshare-wise, it effects the paycheck of the guy at the very top to the janitor that cleans up after said guy at the top. Marketshare is one of the main factors in why old-media has been going on a assult on new-media as of late.
Incidentally, the tags are kind of hilarious albeit also very appropriate: ignorant, hypocrite, bigot, hack, garbage...
On another note, it's been suggested that EA should go to one of the competitor networks in order to get a story aired about Fox's false statements. The problem is this will only allow Fox to play the "we're being persecuted by the liberal media" card again, and Fox viewers generally aren't going to be curious or discerning enough to figure out the truth. And if CNN or MSNBC wanted to do a story on Fox's journalistic lapses, they'd have thousands of better examples to pick from.
Also, to those who want EA to sue: No. This country is already litigous enough. EA has all the clout it needs - advertising dollars. It can (publically, but not with an official announcement), pull all ads from Fox and Fox affliates. As much as I hate them, EA's Madden, etc. ad spots probably fetch a pretty penny. See, no need to sue.
No lawsuits over a few minutes of hack television. However, threaten advertising dollars? Heck, yes, that happens more frequently.
By saying that, it takes the pressure off Fox to issue an apology. So don't hold your breath expecting one. Why should they if they know there'll be no consequence? Even if there's no chance of it ever going to court, it would show that EA would be willing to fight if it came down to it. In effect it's like saying, "Please don't say any more mean things about our games Mr. Big News Corporation."
They didn't even have to threaten to sue. They could have just left that line out of the letter and left it ambiguous. It still would have made them think twice.
I do hope, though, that if Bioware themselves and more companies speak out, eventually the pressure will get to Fox and they'll issue a retraction just as we were able to do it to Kevin McCullough on a smaller scale. EA's rebuttal was a good start, even if they wimped-out at the last minute by not threatening to back up their actions.
They are all full of BS. I thinkly, largly due to Fox being unabashed about it and being rewarded with ratings, but none should be viewed favorably. If it's something I'm interested in, I have to go with a wide range of reports to get any idea of the real story.
If you take a single story, and really compare several news sources, you'll notice distinct differences in each of them. Each network tends edit things to fit their angle, each trying to make the news seem more interesting for whatever target demographic they are looking for.
Whenever a pundit is allowed to do a reporters job, just assume from the get go that it is utter crap. Network doesn't matter there.
This is why Yuki and yourself aren't Veeps of Communication of large companies. What do you thnk your shareholders would do if you threaten to sue Fox News over a few minute segment? Welcome to having your shares bought out from under you.
Come on, Jeff Brown handled this with class, tact, and enough info to set the record straight without getting the Fox Legal heavy hitters on his ass.
GP members: You actually do something good?
Jeff Brown (imitating Jack Sparrow): We do that alot, but you peoples are always surprised.
Jokes aside, it's a very good move from EA to seek a public apology.
NW2K, It's too bad they don't sue right now, but I do really think that it's a good move. Because if Fox doesn't apologize and that EA sues afterwards, Fox won't be able to play victim since EA can prove they asked them beforehand. And if they DO apologize (which I can doubt considering all you said about Fox), they'll lose a LOT of credibility among their viewers AND they'll probably understand that sensationalism doesn't pay on a news network. So in either way (except if I overlook something), it's a win-win scenario.
I DO think that giving bad reviews on that book based on that experience makes us just as hypocritical as the others. Fighting libel with libel won't go anywhere. On the other hand, I found some GENUINE reviews that shows their dislike of the book.
I think bookstorming is a just and legitimate tactic to use against her. You can't slander gamers and not hear our disaproval.
Thanks for covering this GP
Glad to see gaming companies standing up and defending themselves from outright and blatant lies being spread on news sites. I hope the ESA and other companies step and lend their voices in support of EA.
TAKE HEED:
THOSE WHO WILL ABANDOD THEIR FAITH WILL BE EXILED!
WINTER-EEN MAS'08 IS COMING!!!!
GRAB YOU JOYSTICKS,
GEAR UP YOUR POWER SUPPLY,
TAKE NO PRISONERS!!!
THERE WILL BE PWNAGE!!
WOO!
im psyched!
thats what you are talking about i believe
Okay, okay. Imagine if every game developer company had this same idea / mindset. Gaming in politics might have an entire different change.
I don't want to drag Family Guy into the mud because I really like that show, but I think a quick montage of contributing to the deliquency of minors (I am being nice about this one), incestual themes (pop up occasionally), sexual slave trade (Quagmire), and general perversity (too numerous to count) in what Fox would describe (if they didn't run it) as "a cartoon marketed to children." In reality it is a pretty funny animated show for adults.
I think the main thing is that a number of the news outlets are starting to find out gamers aren't the nerds they used to pick on in school. They are now much more then that. Things like "constituants," "voters," and "consumers." When you insult a political opponent, you generally insult some of your viewers, but a third will agree with you, a third is so stupid they will accept whatever you say, and a third will violently disagree with you but keep watching to see what esle you might say that they disagree with.
However, now, you enanger people who don't watch your show, you have made no advertising dollars from us. And in general, we can make things happen. We can logically argue you on points. We can submit evidense. We can discuss this with your advertisers. You start loosing viewers and advertising dollars by saying the stupid stuff, and hopfully you'll start learning from your mistakes and realize that more of the population is playing games then ever before.
-Auto
note to FOX: stop bashing vieogames so that you can get ignorant dumbasses to watch your news
Hot damn, baby! WHOO!
Actually, considering the free press EA is getting, this may turn out to be a good thing for them.
Probably not so good for Cooper Lawrence, though.
You do of course realize that those other networks are equally biased, right? I always get a huge laugh when people say stuff like this.
actually, some people do and will believe whatever any news organization says,so letting them get away with it isn't a good idea
It is about time someone stood up for the game other than its passionate fan base.
It's inevitable that some people are going to (have already) post inane, non-constructive drivel that will indeed reflect more poorly on our community than on the idiot we're trying to shine the light on.
However, there are definitely some "reviews" there that are open and honest. Mine own included, many specifically come out and say "I have not read this book, but I feel the need to point out this author's blatant hypocrisy in other media, such as {example}", which is really the most effective thing to do.
We're NOT stooping to her level, because we're not lying about the content of her book(s). We merely pointed out that she was willing and enthusiastic about offering a completely unqualified opinion, as an "expert" on a subject she knows nothing about, about a product she was unwilling or unable to even bother playing once, let alone devoting the proper research to before speaking about.
These are all facts, and ones worth passing along to others. Honestly, if she's willing to do this on television, what's to say she isn't doing the same sort of thing in her writing?
Amen.
Let's keep up the pressure on her. She recently set her MySpace account to private (It was not set that way eariler today). And get this, her Wikipedia page has been blocked by administaitors. There's got to be more netroot options to take.
@Ren:
Even though EA might benefit from the whole ordeal, I'd say it's still a good idea to sue, just to get more money to acquire more companies.
You are correct about CNN and MSNBC. Our gripes about Fox, or at least my gripe, is how Fox News did not even bother to check the facts about the game and completely sensationalized the story.
MSNBC and CNN do have a liberal slant (I once called CNN a complete political opposite of Fox). At least MSNBC and CNN, however, are more cautious about their reporting and do check their facts. When they are incorrect, they apologize on-air.
In 2006, Bill O'Reilly, in an interview on his show with retired 4-star General Wesley Clark, got his facts on the Malmedy massacre during World War 2 insanely incorrect (topic of interview was about the Haditha incident). He said that American troops killed Nazi forces that surrendered to them. It was the other way around. Nazi troops killed the American soldiers that were surrendering. Bill O'Reilly got his facts on the Malmedy massacre sompletely opposite. He never apologized for it.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:21 am
As well written as this piece is I can is it either being…..
A) Ignored and never read
B) Talked about for five seconds before opening up with Cooper again talking about how men are evil and video games enforces their male ideals
C) Given to Fox’s resident Troll Bill O’Riley who will do nothing but insult EA and Gamers in general. "
A) Most likely
B)Don't even get me started on Cooper(5 min at amazon later) pheew anger relived
C)Bill is just sad, isnt he? Gotta give the Colbert Report credit for making fun of him...time and time again.
Remember when he went after that open forum website? Calling them all Nazis and what not.
Remember when he went after that open forum website? Calling them all Nazis and what not."
Could you show me how tall a Great Dane is?
Lol that cracked me up.
Nail it to her front door, maybe.
That Mass Effect though..
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?9999999997&product_id5706112&s...
Let the Link Radio Network (host of Miss Cooper's radio show) know what you think of their "expert".