Dec 1
CNET issues an official response to the Gerstmann controversy, reveals little
Yesterday, the internet was aflutter with rumors that GameSpot editor and reviewer Jeff Gerstmann had been fired. Multiple sources confirmed the story, and it was believed that it was the result of his negative review of Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. The entire site was skinned in Kane and Lynch advertising, and supposedly Eidos threatened to pull it if something wasn’t done about the negative review - and so Jeff Gerstmann was fired for being honest and giving his opinion despite the fact it was in opposition to their sponsors (which rightly shouldn’t have any effect on reviews, or they lose all credibility and are essentially ruined since the “best game” would merely be determined by the publisher willing to part with the most money). While the reasons behind his firing were not explicitly confirmed, GameSpot’s credibility was severely harmed and many were angered at the possibility that they would take such an action just for the sake of advertising.
Just recently, CNET issued an official response, although unfortunately they give no further details and only attempt to clear their name without confirming or even denying anything:
GameSpot takes its editorial integrity extremely seriously. For over a decade, GameSpot and the many members of its editorial teal [sic] have produced thousands of unbiased reviews that have been a valuable resource for the gaming community. At CNET Networks, we stand behind the editorial content that our teams produce on a daily basis.
If they do in fact stand behind their content “on a daily basis” he can’t have been fired for his review and must have left of his own accord or been rejected for another reason, unless yesterday just happened to be an exception to their “editorial integrity.” However, that still doesn’t explain the removal of his supposedly even harsher video review, and if they did in fact fire him due to advertising disputes this response would seem like a dishonest attempt at spin control. I wish someone who is directly involved would at least confirm or deny how and why Gerstmann left GameSpot, instead of issuing vague responses that solidify their overall stance (which was being seriously questioned) without addressing the specific event everyone is confused about.
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Yeah, they take their editorial integrity very seriously. That game really did deserve a six, and they stand behind that. But also, to appease sponsors, they fired him. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Yeah, but they shouldn’t have specified they stand behind the content “that our teams produce” if they are willing to discard that very team (or at least one editor) over a review that their sponsors dislike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBD0cUeeEQc
Nobody will ever trust a Gamespot review again. They shot themselves in the foot by firing Jeff. He’ll go on to get a better job somewhere else. Gamespot will lose all their members and quietly fade away into obscurity.
They did stand behind their team, but not the individual. This is why his video review was removed and he got sacked, a sacrifice to their advertising paymasters if you like. Pretty low if you ask me. With something so negative, you’d think they’d firmly deny it too if it wasn’t true. That on its own speaks volumes.
Why is everyone so suprised? Everybody knows money rules the world. We are the one who made it that way! That’s why reality TV, celeberty worship, and torture porn (SAW & Hostel) are so huge in our society. When you worship at the altar of the almighty dollar, morals just get in the way.
When money talks, integrity walks!
Of course they are going to say all this crap, you expect them to ACTUALLY admit they fired him over money… I am sure EIDOS dumps ALOT of money their way, and they have their hands up Gamespot/Cnet a$$…
Yes, they are so full of something but I doubt its integrity!!! That is why they shut down the ability for the user database to leave reviews on the game “Kane & Lynch:Dead men” because they were SO FULL OF it that they had to put a stop to the LOW LOW user ratings that the game was receiving (due in large part to the out pouring of support for Jeff and his review). This just SMACKS of integrity right!?!?! But I am sure they will come up with some lackluster excuse about their servers having problems or some such rubbish!! If Gamespot were a ship I’d bet that we’d see the rats beginning to abandon ship…we’ve hit an iceberg…women and cowards first!!!
congrates, your post has been dugg
http://digg.com/gaming_news/CNET_issues_an_official_response_to_the_Gerstmann_controversy
That Jeff guy is an annoying nerd. I’d fire him too.
Didn’t you ever wonder why the review ratings are almost always the same at CNET??? Inside CNET there’s a saying about the “CNET 7″. That’s because it’s almost always the review rating that everything gets there. If the product/game/whatever is really great, it might get an 8, but most products get a 7. Other people inside CNET have been let go for pointing out that CNET pulls their punches on reviews so that advertisers don’t get pissed off. Just mentioning the “CNET 7″ inside CNET around the corporate types is a no-no.