Aussie Journalist Claims Rockstar Pressured Him for Positive Review
By Mike Sharkey | Apr 7, 2010 A cash-for-coverage threat or typical marketing language? You be the judge.
Australian journalist Toby McCasker is out of a job. He claims it's because he wouldn't kowtow to advertiser demands and write an advertorial masquerading as editorial. His former boss says nothing could be further from the truth. At the middle of it all is Rockstar Games and its upcoming western Red Dead Redemption.
The story comes courtesy of Australian news web site news.com.au. McCasker, the former deputy entertainment editor at Zoo Weekly, claims he was fired by the magazine after he made a portion of an email he says came from a Rockstar publicist public by posting it on Facebook:
"This is the biggest game we've done since GTA IV, and is already receiving Game of the Year 2010 nominations from specialists all around the world. Can you please ensure Toby's article reflects this — he needs to respect the huge achievement he's writing about here."
According to McCasker, the email, regarding Red Dead Redemption, was an example of the pressure game companies exert on media outlets for positive coverage. "I did not sign up to become a journalist to write advertorials masquerading as editorial," he told news.com.au. "This 'cash for comment' culture that is fast becoming the status quo within print media bothers me a lot."
Zoo Weekly editor Paul Merrill told the news site he has never been asked by a game maker for a positive review and declined to comment on why McCasker was fired, but later added to his initial response on Kotaku:
I would like to make it clear that at no time has Rockstar EVER sought a preferential review in return for advertising. In fact no games company has ever suggested this. And Zoo would never give a positive review to a game we didn't rate in return for ad dollars.
Toby McCasker was sacked for a number of reasons, one of which was his decision to post a private email on his Facebook page. This email was not referring to a game review. He should not be considered a credible source of information on this matter.
Rockstar, caught in the crossfire as it prepares to launch Red Dead Redemption on May 18, told news.com.au, "We always try to present our games in the most compelling way to media and fans alike, and of course we, like every other video game publisher in Australia or anywhere else for that matter, want to have our games seen in a positive light."
Source:
GameSpy