I get rather annoyed when a newspaper make use of something bad that happened recently and try to wind their readers up about it to keep them coming back for the next day following edition where they have something else about it. I have learnt all about it and I take into account that its something that they do to make money. But the Daily Star decided to make up a false story about a video game.
Video games is one of the cards the newspaper use to wind their readership up. They typically say how bad the violence is and how it will corrupt people into taking the violence into the public places outside a television in their homes. Basiclly look up the ‘Inoculation Theory’ on Wikipedia.
However some silly journalist thought they use this card on a fake video game. How could anybody think that because somebody mocked that cover up that it could possibly be for real. Publishing articles like that shows how dumb their researchers are and it damages their brand. I am guessing that the cover was from a website such as B3ta.
I do wonder however if any of their readers got worked up about it? I guess so if the Daily Star had to apologise for the story.
This does however make me worry about Five (channel five) future now that the Daily Star owner have brought it. Will the quality of their programming become as poor as the journalism at that newspaper. I hope not as I do sometimes watch their channels.
This article was written by Roy Greenslade, for guardian.co.uk on Saturday 24th July 2010 11.23 UTC
The Daily Star has been forced to apologise for its false story, carried on Wednesday, about the creation of a video game entitled Grand Theft Auto Rothbury.
The paper – owned by Richard Desmond – has also had to admit that the publication of its article was due to its own journalistic failings.
The Star’s article claimed that Rockstar Games – the originator of the popular Grand Theft Auto game – was about to release a version of the game based on the incidents involving killer Raoul Moat.
But it has now published a complete retraction of its claim in a lengthy apology. Here is the full statement:
On 21 July we published an article claiming that the video games company Rockstar Games were planning to release a version of their popular Grand Theft Auto video games series titled “Grand Theft Auto Rothbury”.
We also published what we claimed would be the cover of this game, solicited comments from a family member impacted by the recent tragedy and criticised Rockstar Games for their alleged plans.
We made no attempt to check the accuracy of the story before publication and did not contact Rockstar Games prior to publishing the story. We also did not question why a best-selling and critically acclaimed fictional games series would choose to base one of their most popular games on this horrifying real crime event.
It is now accepted that there were never any plans by Rockstar Games to publish such a game and that the story was false. We apologise for publishing the story using a mock-up of the game cover, our own comments on the matter and soliciting critical comments from a grieving family member.
We unreservedly apologise to Rockstar Games and we have undertaken not to repeat the claims again. We have also agreed to pay them a substantial amount in damages which they are donating to charity.
This is but the latest example of the Star’s poor journalistic track record under Desmond’s ownership. Others can be found here and here and here and here and here and here. And that’s just in 2010.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
Ever since I handed in my college application form in, I been unsure if I am going the right way by choosing media. Don’t get me wrong I love doing media however I see ICT I think to myself ‘well I also like that’. Well I suppose if the media doesn’t turn out how I want it to, I can always do a ICT course at a later point in life.
I do take it seriously and agree with it but you have to be stupid to do some of the things it mentions like using dangerous props or walking onto train tracks. It not just a list of what you can’t do but advises you how to do things safely like with fires, that you should be over 10 metres away and have permission from the fire brigade.