Comments on: Gaming the news http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/21/gaming-the-news/ How to survive and thrive in the digital age Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:00:16 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Deborah Potter http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/21/gaming-the-news/comment-page-1/#comment-1899 Deborah Potter Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:41:32 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=214#comment-1899 Agreed that most efforts along these lines have been piecemeal. MSNBC tried several new apps last year, but I'm not sure how successful they've been. See: http://advancingthestory.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/news-as-a-game/. I wonder if one of the hurdles has been getting through to the audience that might actually play the games. Your average MSNBC user may not be the right target. CNN's partnership with Facebook for inauguration coverage suggests an alternative way of reaching the right folks. I think the trick is to put the games where the players are. Agreed that most efforts along these lines have been piecemeal. MSNBC tried several new apps last year, but I’m not sure how successful they’ve been. See: http://advancingthestory.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/news-as-a-game/. I wonder if one of the hurdles has been getting through to the audience that might actually play the games. Your average MSNBC user may not be the right target. CNN’s partnership with Facebook for inauguration coverage suggests an alternative way of reaching the right folks. I think the trick is to put the games where the players are.

]]> By: Bill Doskoch http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/21/gaming-the-news/comment-page-1/#comment-1896 Bill Doskoch Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:44:32 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=214#comment-1896 I remember the discussions about gaming the news (it might be worth touching base with Nora Paul of the Institute for New Media Studies at the U. of Minnesota, who led some of those discussions) years ago. When I worked as a casual at CBC.ca, management brought in MSNBC.com's Jonathan Dube (who eventually ran the place for a time). I observed then that one game MSNBC.com developed was simply too complex for a dumb guy like me. It was technically dazzling, but it was overkill. Dube suggested they did go overboard on some of those experiments. Like news stories on complex subjects, online games need to be clear. I'll keep an eye out for your project. Keep us posted. I remember the discussions about gaming the news (it might be worth touching base with Nora Paul of the Institute for New Media Studies at the U. of Minnesota, who led some of those discussions) years ago.

When I worked as a casual at CBC.ca, management brought in MSNBC.com’s Jonathan Dube (who eventually ran the place for a time).

I observed then that one game MSNBC.com developed was simply too complex for a dumb guy like me. It was technically dazzling, but it was overkill.

Dube suggested they did go overboard on some of those experiments.

Like news stories on complex subjects, online games need to be clear.

I’ll keep an eye out for your project. Keep us posted.

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