We aren't going to use hyperbole to convince you to help us create change, except that if you don't the entire world is not going to be the same and it's going to be your fault!
So what can we do about this? What can the normal video gamer do to combat this barrage of misinformation? Believe it or not there are a few things you can do, and I thought it might be fun to run through them so that you have no excuse next time around.
Although there are dozens of things you could be doing to solve this problem (including running for political office, getting a job in a newsroom, etc.) I have decided to list only three options. There's something for the people that are lazy, something for people who want to be active, and something for people that want to be active but are really lazy. Hopefully each and every Defunct Games viewer will identify with one of the three suggestions because we need each and every one of you!
Do Nothing and Just Wait:
If you really want to do something but don't have the time then why not just wait? After all, it's only a matter of time before these dinosaurs hand the baton to somebody who grew up playing video games. Unfortunately this might take awhile. Judging by how long Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite, and Peter Jennings stayed on the job we might not see another new anchor until 2046. But don't worry, just because the anchors never change it doesn't mean that the people that find the stories, write the stories, and influence the way the story is written won't change. Just like movies, rap music and
These idiots could have done something to help everybody out, but instead they were too busy taking these pictures!
everything else that was once controversial, give it enough time and it won't seem like such a big deal. You will just have to live with the idea that you didn't do anything; you took the easy way out. You are a loser.
Contact The News:
Most of the mistakes made by television journalists are done by accident; I certainly don't want to paint them out to be lying to us on purpose. But if you're going to make a mistake (and then repeat it over and over again) you should be open to being corrected, which is why I strongly suggest you make phone calls and write letters to the guilty news outlets. Let them know that they are reporting faulty information and leading people to believe that it's only small children playing these games. Let them know that the video game industry consistently outdoes the movie industry, the music industry, television, and even sports. Tell them about the studies that show that it's adults 18 to 34 that are the biggest gamers. And make sure to do this each and every time they mess up.
Finding the contact information isn't hard, it's usually front and center on their website. The hard part is taking the time to call them on their mistakes, but don't feel like you need to take too much time out of your busy schedule. To get you started Defunct Games has decided to post contact information for some of the bigger news companies. This is simply a partial list, Defunct Games does not have the resources to track down all of the phone numbers and email addresses to newsrooms around the country (or world). If you run into any problems locating who to contact let Defunct Games know and we'll take care of everything.
CNN: 404-827-1500
MSNBC: Visit Their Contact Page
Fox News: 1-888-369-4762 or comments@foxnews.com
ABC: Visit Their Contact Page
NBC: Visit Their Contact Page
CBS: Visit Their Email Form
(When contacting the media, please be polite and professional. Express your specific concerns regarding that particular news report or commentary, and be sure to indicate exactly what you would like the media outlet to do differently in the future.)
Tell Defunct Games:
When you see the media misrepresenting who plays games you don't have to get up and call your local news team, all you need to do is let
So all of you out there, get out and shout! Tell us and the media what you think! Unless you're little kids, in that case you need to shut up because you aren't doing us any good!
Defunct Games know and we'll make the calls and write the emails for you. These days most TV news channels transcribe what is said and post it on their websites, tracking down what they said isn't a problem in the 21st century. All you need to do is send me an email (which you can find at the bottom of this article) letting me know when you saw it, what news cast it was, and the approximate time. Oh, and you might want to let me know what they said (or were talking about).
This doesn't need to feel like a losing battle; just because we're not well represented in the media doesn't mean we can't have a voice. It's up to you to not let this injustice stand, the media outlets have been spreading their untruths for far too long and it's our job to let them know. We can do something about this; we do not have to let these non-gamers talk about us as if we are "young teens" and "children". Rise up and tell your hometown news that you aren't going to allow them to imply that video games are just for kids, you aren't going to let them wrap all of their video game news around the false notion that we're all snot-nosed little kids. You tell them that you're mad as hell and you're not going to take it anymore. And then mean it.
