Noel King’s news story titled Questions Raised Over bullying in Gaming Community, is an interview transcript with Jennifer Hale, who is one of the members of the gaming community. The controversy sparked by Zoe Quinn’s boyfriend allegation that she slept with a gaming journalist had escalated to threats and expression of “some real misogyny” (King, 2014). From the story by Noel, it is clear that the story took a new turn with the interest changing from the mere fact of Quinn’s boyfriend allegations, to the treatment of women characters in games and their position in the gaming community. The possible “bullying” in the gaming community is highlighted by Jennifer as she is interviewed.
What had started as a story of journalistic misconduct, spanned into expression of bullying and hatred of women leading to an interview by Noel King (Dulis, 2014). Dulis, in the article titled Why Gaming Journalists Keep Dragging Zoe Quinn’s Sex Life into the Spotlight, argues that the shift is as a result of gaming journalists’ efforts to divert attention from their internal corruption. This shift is also evident in Simon Patin’s article titled Zoe Quinn’s Depression Quest on The New Yorker. In the article, Patin suggests that Quinn’s Depression Quest game could not be won and goes on to criticize her (Patin, 2014). After the first incidence of Quinn’s boyfriend writing about her infidelity, the media continued to provide more information about Quinn and left the journalist, who failed in conducting himself ethically, alone.
The bullying and the possible misogyny is evident in this story. Noel King in this interview sheds some light on how the story has revealed these evils in the gaming community. The story is relevant to the class because it provides a perspective that is unique to an evolving story. It provides an aspect of the developing story that is purely a resultant of the feelings of the consumers of the news story and the nature of reporting the story. The news article brings to the fore, underlying issues in the gaming community such as race and gender inequalities. This equips the class with the knowledge of the different types of stories that can develop from a single story.
I chose this news story because it offers a platform on which people can discuss other issues apart from the main story. The news article provided an avenue for the people to air their opinions on pertinent issues such as gender imbalance and misogyny in the gaming community. In addition, it is clear that the story reflects on the general issues in relation to gender and race. I chose this news story hoping that it will illuminate on the issues of diversity as well as offer an understanding of how a story can lead to an investigation of a community’s view of gender and race.
References
King, Noel. (2014, September 10). Questions raised over bullying in gaming industry, Marketplace Tech. Retrieved from http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/questions- raised-over-bullying-gaming-community
Dulis, Noah, (2014, September 10). GamerGate: why gaming journalists keep dragging Zoe Quinn’s sex life into the spotlight. Retrieved from http://www.breitbart.com/Big- Hollywood/2014/09/09/GamerGate-Why-Gaming-Journalists-Keep-Dragging-Zoe- Quinns-Sex-Life-into-the-SpotlightPatin, Simon. (2014, September 10). Zoe Quinn’s Depression Quest, The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/zoe-quinns-depression-quest
