#GamerGate SPJ Airplay – GamerGate on Ethics

So, as planned, SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) Airplay happened on 15th August 2015 in Miami where GamerGate representatives talked about ethics in games journalism and mainstream media. And I think it was a huge success. Few things didn’t go as planned, but a lot did and we got the message out and showed all the unbelievers that GamerGate is in fact about ethics and not about harassment. We talked actual ethics with professionals like Ren LaForme and Lynn Welsh who live and breathe for ethical journalism.

I’ve waited for so long to post the info because we were waiting for the 3rd recording with good audio and it’s here and you can watch it now.

Abridged Cut of the live stream compiled and edited by @theLEOpirate

As expected, assholes posted a bomb threat. Actually, 10 of them. The first one came in directly to SPJ Airplay event and since security measures were done, it was dismissed as fake. The later ones were called in directly to the Miami police which force evacuated the event. But we are gamers, we don’t just give up and go home when someone threatens or challenges us. So gals and lads continued discussing ethics one block away from the Koubek building outside on insane Miami heat. Now that’s dedication!

3rd part recorded outside of Koubek Memorial Center after the bomb threat

Behind the scenes and afterparty documentary by Honey Badger Brigade

Uncut recording of SPJ Airplay live event:

SPJ Airplay Morning Panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2D-OPscw4
SPJ Airplay Afternoon Panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nck57J7GcsI
Periscope live recording by Derek Smart after the bomb threat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLOLvokxE0U

Credits:

Despite all the things and disagreements that happened with Michael Koretzky (the organizer and moderator of the first two SPJ Airplay panels) before the actual event, I’d like to thank him for bringing everyone together and making SPJ Airplay with GamerGate a reality. SPJ Airplay wouldn’t have happened without him and I thank him for all this. He was the first one to ignore all the bullshit harassment narrative and give GamerGate a chance to tell our side of the story and why GamerGate exists, because everyone else were shutting doors in our faces and censoring us. So thanks again Michael Koretzky!

I’d also like to thank morning panelists, Mark Ceb, Ashe Schow and Allum Bokhari, afternoon panelists Cathy Young, Christina Hoff Sommers and Milo Yannopolous as well as non-GamerGate side with Ren LaForme, Lynn Welsh and Derek Smart as well as everyone else present there but not named. Thank you all for taking your time to represent gamers and ethics and show the world what GamerGate is really about!

Update 2015-08-21
Added documentary video from Honey Badger Brigade

Objectivity is a silly thing to strive for

I’ll just pop in the image to get things started…

Jason Schreier is a news editor at Kotaku. The very same Kotaku that is refusing to change their ethics code as per GamerGate demands. And now we know why… The thing that bothers me is, what is your purpose then if you don’t at least strive for objectivity, even if you don’t always achieve it? Especially if you just say “fuck it” from the get go?

I’m just a (nobody) blogger, forum reviewer and while I might not always be objective, at least I strive for that. After all, when I write a hardware or game review, people usually want to know OBJECTIVE information about it based on my otherwise subjective experience. You can and always will mix in personal feelings and have some sort of bias towards it. Especially if the thing you were testing and using is a good product (in my case since I don’t have any connections with anyone). You tend to overlook the negatives when there are so many positive points about it. But as you are reviewing or describing your experience, after you write down all the positive things, you have to stop and just think about things that could be better or different. It’s not really a difficult thing to do you know. But is a lot hard to do, if you have the guts to say “Objectivity is a silly thing to strive for” as your basic rule as journalist of any sort, even if you just write tabloid grade stuff or a home-brewed blog project. Dude, what the hell were you thinking when you spewed out those words? That’s basically like saying I have zero credibility or interest for any kind of objectivity. Dear reader, what the fuck are you still doing here? That’s what my opinion would be reading your words Jason. And that’s exactly what I think.

I don’t know, but is it just me who thinks that gaming or computer industry in general has no place for yellow journalism? This stuff isn’t and shouldn’t be gossip crap tabloids throw out day after day, glorifying spoilt celebrities for the brainless masses to enjoy (somehow). When you’re looking for a game or piece of hardware to buy, information surrounding the computer and gaming industry as a whole, massive majority is interested in facts, not biased and bribed opinions. Before I buy a game I want to know if it’s really any good and what are its downsides. Not who fucked who to get it in the spotlight. Unless that is what brought it into the spotlight. And that’s why GamerGate is raging about ethics in gaming journalism. All the bias, corruption, under the table deals and lack of any kind of objectivity and ethics. Because if you’re doing this kind of stuff, it clearly shows you lack ethics.

Stop being a dick and be honest. Honesty is a highly valued virtue and people tend to forget that way too often. Especially those who work as journalists…