Topic: Sony Blackballs/Blacklists Kotaku.com

[WPack911]

Today is a sad day for me personally and for indeed all of gaming and gaming journalism.  Today Kotaku.com one the leading if not the lead Gaming news blog site was blackballed by Sony for reporting a supposed "rumor" that now is  almost confirmed by Sony's fool actions.   In case you do not  know what it is to blackball someone or in this case a website, it mean basically they are dead to you, and do not only not invite you to events, but also not even send you basic press releases.  Kotaku being truly noble in all regards with this still this vows to report on Sony as best they can and not do what some many others may have and shun Sony back and become a hater, they would be justified in my eyes to this, but they have instead decided to be the better men and will continue to do the best they can.

This just illustrates the black-hearted and classless method's that Sony is going to to try to bully the industry, I own a PS2 and love it, but no amount of product can make up for a company that is behaving like a dictator to the gaming community.  You don't know own the me Sony and you do not own gaming journalism.  I ask you good people to stand up and spread this news like a wild fire all over the net, get other's to stand against this clear violation of common business practice by Sony.  I ask this regardless of how much you like or dislike Sony now or in the past, no one controls the news NO ONE this is freedom of the press being oppressed this is one thing no person can allow.

Below is the entire story, please join me in helping keep gaming Journalism free:
http://kotaku.com/gaming/top/sony-blackballs-kotaku-240860.php

Sincerely,
Andrew "WPack911" Peterson

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Right-on.

Keep hope alive, brother.

[Arbok]

http://kotaku.com/gaming/top/sony-blackballs-kotaku-240860.php

(For those who want a clickable link)

Sony's PR machine does it again, although this time it wasn't even a import seller. Really, Sony should be going after the leak if they don't want news to come out early, not the ones who are publishing said stories to the public.

[GioGio]

I'm not a fan of Kotaku, but dang.

This will probably hurt Sony more than some rumor.

[WPack911]

Quote
Originally posted by: Arbok
http://kotaku.com/gaming/top/sony-blackballs-kotaku-240860.php

(For those who want a clickable link)

Sony's PR machine does it again, although this time it wasn't even a import seller. Really, Sony should be going after the leak if they don't want news to come out early, not the ones who are publishing said stories to the public.

I agree, thanks for making the link clickable.

-WPack911

[Kairon]

Wow.... I guess this confirms that Sony is stealing BOTH XBox360's Liva Achievements system AND Nintendo's Miis and putting them into an Animal Crossing-esque "Home" where their 3D avatar(Mii) can decorate the place with trophies(achievements)... all accessed via some online version of a channel?

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Kairon]

BTW, This is a pretty dumb move by Sony.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[UncleBob]

I don't think Sony is doing anything "wrong" here, persay.  They did Kotaku special favors by giving them pre-release product, exclusive interviews, etc.  In exchange, they asked Kotaku to keep mum on this one particular issue.  Kotaku didn't, so Sony is just going to stop doing them special favors.  Stupid?  Yes.  Wrong... not really.  In fact, one could say it's for the best - Gaming sites have been pretty much taking "bribes" for too long from the major developers....

[Kairon]

Bad for Sony, good for integrity? LOL

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[GioGio]

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
I don't think Sony is doing anything "wrong" here, persay.  They did Kotaku special favors by giving them pre-release product, exclusive interviews, etc.  In exchange, they asked Kotaku to keep mum on this one particular issue.  Kotaku didn't, so Sony is just going to stop doing them special favors.  Stupid?  Yes.  Wrong... not really.  In fact, one could say it's for the best - Gaming sites have been pretty much taking "bribes" for too long from the major developers....

Meh, you have a point there.

[Pale]

It's hard to say what's right and wrong in video game journalism.  Sony handled the whole the wrong in my opinion.  Instead of giving Kotaku a beneficial reason for holding the rumor back, they threatened them and got what they deserved.  If I were Sony, I would have said congrats on finding this story, then offered them a fancy exclusive come Tuesday in exchange for them not publishing it yet.  Say, they tell Kotaku that they will get the first exclusive screens of the feature, or something like that.

I bet Crecente would have taken such a deal, but maybe not.  Some may argue that just that practice alone goes against what journalism is supposed to be.  Who knows.  

[Kairon]

No ones saying what Sony did was wrong. We're saying what they did was dumb beyond belief.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
They did Kotaku special favors by giving them pre-release product, exclusive interviews, etc.

Don't kid yourself. It's called marketing: the firm was paying next to nothing, just manufactured hand outs for review and interviews, in exchange for advertising to potentional customers. They are fighting for "share of voice" for their products on a service that covers everyone.

All Kotaku is required to do is keep those site numbers up, so Sony sees that it's a worthwhile investment, and considering they were up to interview Phil Harrison it's quite clear that Kotaku was keeping their readership very high.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

For Kotaku, posting the roomer was business as usual.

For Sony, blacklisting is just an end to the media favors, as mentioned.  It was a desperate reaction to their failure to control the timing and quantity of info/publicity they had been scheming (otherwise it's just a lousy way to react to UNOFFICIAL INFORMATION).  They had a nice supply line running, with Kotaku at the receiving end.  They noticed a package they thought Kotaku should not have, had an anxiety-filled bowel movement, and eventually burned the supply bridge.

And all this time, the problem wasn't the recipient, it was the underground railroad Sony failed to notice.

[Ceric]

Yep,  I have to agree with UncleBob.  Receiving press releases, special interviews, review copies, etc. is a privilege not a right.  If it was a right we would all get a press pass for the free games, advance info, and debug units.

That being said, what Sony did was a little overboard.  I could see them taking away the interviews because those were relatively special but dis-inviting people from general press events.  Thats a little harsh.  They never signed an NDA about the information that we know of so the consequences should be in line with that.  A slap on the wrist not a spanking.

Now if Sony would have pulled the same thing they did with Lik Sang and legally went after the sight for running the story that was clearly stated as rumor.  I would take a major problem with it.  That would be unconstitutional here in the States.  But I'm sure they find some place in the world where it wasn't since it can be read anywhere.

[Djunknown]

Wow. Unbelievable. It seems that Sony has a hard-on to quash the little people. First Lik-Sang, now this.

I don't know what was happening in SCEA's headquarters. I wouldn't doubt that they are doing internal investigations on who leaked the rumor,torturing said person and implement tightened restrictions. All this just for a rumor? Its sad...

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Receiving press releases, special interviews, review copies, etc. is a privilege not a right.

Take a marketing class, any marketing class that involves press releases. One of the first things you will learn is that your objective as a PR employee is to get those press releases in as many hands as possible that will publish them. You are expected to deliever hard copies to many traditional outlets and others... so doing something like this for a website is pretty much reduced to a name on a never ending "send out" list for mass e-mails. Which costs them next to nothing, except to keep a updated contact list which their PR department should be doing anyway.

Some people need to stop acting like Sony wasn't getting something out of this. It was a two way deal, both sides had something to gain. Sony decided to stop doing business with them, understandable although stupid, but they weren't just dropping off exclusives and review items out of "kindness" or to show "appreciation" or some other tribe like that. Kotaku and any other news outlet has to work to get those exlusives through giving the firm a high user ratio that will be exposed to whatever product Sony wants to promote. If this was some dinky website with a pitiful readership, then maybe I could understand that type of rhetoric as Sony would really be doing them a favor; however, that's not the case. They are a established website and are given content by companies in exchange for promotion. Period.

[Djunknown]

UPDATE: They kissed and made up.

There you go. Run with it people!  

[oohhboy]

Outside of the retarded white nosie that come out of every exec, this has got to be some of the most stupidest thing Sony has done for quite a while.

Regardless of how they have made up, the damage is done. They played chicken and Sony drove off the cliff. Their PR department has once again, for negative gain, gone something so obviously bad that anyone else would have laughed for even suggesting it. I mean as far as PR goes, does anyone there have any knowledge in Pyhciology or international dipolmactic relations? I mean damn.

This should make for some good podcast material.

[WPack911]

Quote
Originally posted by: oohhboy
Outside of the retarded white nosie that come out of every exec, this has got to be some of the most stupidest thing Sony has done for quite a while.

Regardless of how they have made up, the damage is done. They played chicken and Sony drove off the cliff. Their PR department has once again, for negative gain, gone something so obviously bad that anyone else would have laughed for even suggesting it. I mean as far as PR goes, does anyone there have any knowledge in Pyhciology or international dipolmactic relations? I mean damn.

This should make for some good podcast material.

Yes, please talk about this on the podcast guys please.

-WPack911

[Ceric]

Quote
Originally posted by: Arbok

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Receiving press releases, special interviews, review copies, etc. is a privilege not a right.

Take a marketing class, any marketing class that involves press releases. One of the first things you will learn is that your objective as a PR employee is to get those press releases in as many hands as possible that will publish them. You are expected to deliever hard copies to many traditional outlets and others... so doing something like this for a website is pretty much reduced to a name on a never ending "send out" list for mass e-mails. Which costs them next to nothing, except to keep a updated contact list which their PR department should be doing anyway.

Some people need to stop acting like Sony wasn't getting something out of this. It was a two way deal, both sides had something to gain. Sony decided to stop doing business with them, understandable although stupid, but they weren't just dropping off exclusives and review items out of "kindness" or to show "appreciation" or some other tribe like that. Kotaku and any other news outlet has to work to get those exlusives through giving the firm a high user ratio that will be exposed to whatever product Sony wants to promote. If this was some dinky website with a pitiful readership, then maybe I could understand that type of rhetoric as Sony would really be doing them a favor; however, that's not the case. They are a established website and are given content by companies in exchange for promotion. Period.

Please point out where I stated the Sony wasn't getting anything out of that relationship?
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Still Waiting...
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No where, huh.

My point with the whole thing was that sites getting press releases and advanced copies seemed to be in a lot of peoples opinion the sites God given right.  Which is wrong.

Sony will do what they believe will reap them the most benefit.  If that means finding a way to say pull an exclusive from Kotaku and give it to IGN then they'll do it.  Their is plenty of risk in giving out information.  If you can't trust a source to be able to handle the information in a way you deem most beneficial for you, like not releasing it early (Think Wiimote being announced 2 years before Wii release.)  Then you might consider that enough of a liability that even the "free" press that the might be giving you wouldn't be free enough.

Glad they made up.  Though someone should really just fire everyone in there PR department for Videogames and ban all the execs from making non cut and dry speeches.

[UncleBob]

Did Sony get something out of giving Kotaku handouts?  Yeah.  But really, nothing Sony couldn't get out of just about any gaming site they wanted to give all their freebies out to.  Well, any site except alliwantforxmasisapsp.com.

[MaryJane]

When Sony stops giving NWR exclusives call me!

[Ceric]

Quote
Originally posted by: MaryJane
When Sony starts giving NWR exclusives call me!

The Apocalypse be upon us.
Mildew will kill us all.  

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm gonna laugh when everyone finds out that Sony got all defensive cause they didn't have anything planned that was nearly as good as what Kotaku posted as rumor, and they didn't want the PS3 fans to get all hyped up again for another HUGE letdown.

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Please point out where I stated the Sony wasn't getting anything out of that relationship?

No where, nor did I state that you made such a claim. I was merely talking about the ludicrousness in the statement that: "If it was a right we would all get a press pass for the free games, advance info, and debug units." Again, acting like this was more of a favor and Sony was not benefiting from the relationship with a site with a large reader base (as if everyone were just as qualified) when they clearly are since they had Phil Harrison ready to do a one-on-one interview with them and felt that it was important to patch up their relationship.

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Their is plenty of risk in giving out information.  If you can't trust a source to be able to handle the information in a way you deem most beneficial for you, like not releasing it early (Think Wiimote being announced 2 years before Wii release.)  Then you might consider that enough of a liability that even the "free" press that the might be giving you wouldn't be free enough.

What does that have to do with this situation at all, though? I would agree if Kotaku was violating a NDA or something, or Sony gave them this information... but neither is the case. They had a source that was giving them information, a third party source that they trusted enough to state it as a "rumor" on the site. They didn't even know if it was true or not, and still don't, and Sony nailed them for it anyway even though they clearly reported it as being just that: a rumor.

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
But really, nothing Sony couldn't get out of just about any gaming site they wanted to give all their freebies out to.

Unless Sony's PR is slipping, I would except them to already have relationships with all of the major gaming sites... wouldn't you? Why settle for some of them, when you could benefit from all of them? Why pick and choose which major outlets you are going to do business with and those that you aren't when the lowest level of exchange can be your press releases and review copies?

In the grand scheme of things, we are talking peanuts here in terms of expenditures versus potential audience size. I find it especially odd how highly some consider press releases here, considering how much ass kissing goes around in the PR industry to even get those accepted by a lot of outlets. Do some people feel the same way about commercials at the stations that get to show those, or is that a different case because companies are actually paying for those spots instead of getting relatively free advertising?

[KDR_11k]

Sony needs to reread the "dealing with the press" manual, telling them "don't run that story" is the dumbest mistake you can make. Don't tell them what you don't want them to know and if they know something and ask you about it, ALWAYS say "we don't comment on rumors", anything else lets them derive the real answer from your actions (e.g. if you call wrong rumors such but don't comment on true ones).

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: Arbok
Unless Sony's PR is slipping, I would except them to already have relationships with all of the major gaming sites... wouldn't you? Why settle for some of them, when you could benefit from all of them? Why pick and choose which major outlets you are going to do business with and those that you aren't when the lowest level of exchange can be your press releases and review copies?

You pick and choose because if you've got a site that constatly posts stuff that you *don't* want fans to read (be it secret information or just constant slams against your company), then you want to avoid having them go to that site.  In theory, if Kotaku stopped getting extras from Sony, their staff (at best) would simply be in a position to stop giving Sony as much coverage as they do or (at worst) they'd constantly slam Sony at every turn.  Either way, (in theory) Sony Fans would slowly stop going to this site because they wouldn't be getting the type of coverage that they want.

[Ceric]

Quote
Originally posted by: Arbok

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Please point out where I stated the Sony wasn't getting anything out of that relationship?

No where, nor did I state that you made such a claim. I was merely talking about the ludicrousness in the statement that: "If it was a right we would all get a press pass for the free games, advance info, and debug units." Again, acting like this was more of a favor and Sony was not benefiting from the relationship with a site with a large reader base (as if everyone were just as qualified) when they clearly are since they had Phil Harrison ready to do a one-on-one interview with them and felt that it was important to patch up their relationship.

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
Their is plenty of risk in giving out information.  If you can't trust a source to be able to handle the information in a way you deem most beneficial for you, like not releasing it early (Think Wiimote being announced 2 years before Wii release.)  Then you might consider that enough of a liability that even the "free" press that the might be giving you wouldn't be free enough.

What does that have to do with this situation at all, though? I would agree if Kotaku was violating a NDA or something, or Sony gave them this information... but neither is the case. They had a source that was giving them information, a third party source that they trusted enough to state it as a "rumor" on the site. They didn't even know if it was true or not, and still don't, and Sony nailed them for it anyway even though they clearly reported it as being just that: a rumor.

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
But really, nothing Sony couldn't get out of just about any gaming site they wanted to give all their freebies out to.

Unless Sony's PR is slipping, I would except them to already have relationships with all of the major gaming sites... wouldn't you? Why settle for some of them, when you could benefit from all of them? Why pick and choose which major outlets you are going to do business with and those that you aren't when the lowest level of exchange can be your press releases and review copies?

In the grand scheme of things, we are talking peanuts here in terms of expenditures versus potential audience size. I find it especially odd how highly some consider press releases here, considering how much ass kissing goes around in the PR industry to even get those accepted by a lot of outlets. Do some people feel the same way about commercials at the stations that get to show those, or is that a different case because companies are actually paying for those spots instead of getting relatively free advertising?

Oh.  Then why didn't you just quote that part?

On the second part it was more toeing the line.  It was the fact that Kotaku asked Sony if they could run the story, at least thats the impression they give.  Sony said they prefer them not to in no uncertian terms and they ran it anyway.  You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.  So Sony is seeing this as not toeing the company line.  Hence why it is easier to ask forgiveness then permission.

If Kotaku never contacted Sony about actually running it just to verify the rumor and posted without hearing what Sony thought about them posting it that be another story.  Don't ask for advice you won't heed.

Yes, as a company since I specificly told them there be ramification if they ran the story I probably would have shifted away one of there exclusive interviews or something.  A threat with no teeth is not much of a threat.  As I said before I do think they did to much initially.  Overreacted.  Though I can't say them doing nothing is really a good action as well.

Thats just my take on information flow.  Especially in this sort of arena.

[KDR_11k]

You know, I always thought "blackballing" meant punching someone in the balls until they turn black...

Either way, (in theory) Sony Fans would slowly stop going to this site because they wouldn't be getting the type of coverage that they want.

However, a Sony fan would already have made his mind up anyway. What Sony has to worry about is losing the indecisive buyers, those who haven't decided on whether to buy a PS3 yet or maybe even don't think the PS3 is worth their money and need to be convinced of the opposite. Sony is basically handing the readers of Kotaku to the competition by no longer covering them with their propaganda while the competition still reaches them.

If Kotaku never contacted Sony about actually running it just to verify the rumor and posted without hearing what Sony thought about them posting it that be another story. Don't ask for advice you won't heed.

I'd assume they asked Sony for a comment, not approval of the story.

[ryancoke]

kudoz to kotaku for "fighting the power"

Chuck D would be impressed

[Ian Sane]

Sony is writing the book on how to destroy your own marketshare.  Well actually Nintendo did it first but you know how Sony always copies Nintendo.

Seriously though they've just gone insane as of late.  It's like whatever the dumb thing to do in a situation is they'll do it.  What it is with console market leaders?  Their position gets threatened and they go all dictator on us and destory themselves while the competition sweeps in and takes over by merely being competent and looking like a million bucks in comparison.  Atari and Nintendo pretty much brought their own fall upon themselves and now Sony is doing it too.  No one ever seems to learn from the past.