Barrysworld News Reporting

S

(Shovel)

Guest
Guess Bill Gates must be looking and those figures and thinking f*** **!
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I can't help but feel that there is a very 'casual' influence creeping into the BW news reporting? 'Before' it used to be very factual, concise and interesting, but as the above quote shows there is an increasing amount gumf appearing in there.
Has anyone else noticed?

I've nothing against the people who right it, cause looking down the page Yaka has written some very good news, but then there are oddball ones like above that are opinionated or 'chatty'. Surely news isn't meant to be like that?

I bet that sounded really petty, but it's an observation I thought I'd share. :)
 
W

Wij

Guest
How long u been here Shovel ? Last year news was criticized for not being as casual as it used to be :)
 
S

(Shovel)

Guest
Erm... I've been around for I think.. about... 3 or 4 years ?

I'm probably being unduly picky or something. :p
 
X

xane

Guest
Originally posted by Wij
Yes. That sounds like it.
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You mean it sounds similar to complaining that the news is "not casual enough" ?

/me donut rolls by
 
O

old.Kez

Guest
I've not read the news since Speccy and Tinky left, with good reason.
 
M

Munkey-

Guest
i find the news boring.....

no blood or pr0n......
 
W

Wazzerphuk

Guest
When I could be bothered to read about gaming news, I used to hit Blues... I always found BarrsyWorld rather skimpy on the news front. Nowadays, I get my news fix every now and then via EuroGamer.
 
T

TedTheDog

Guest
We reply on volunteers to write news, and its a tricky subject. Tinky and Speccy were paid to do news, and they had the time to develop their own unique styles and they worked really well.

The news team do have a "news writing guide" that sets overall standards and boundaries, but I also encourage them to add opinion if possible. You see, I'd rather have news commentary than straight forward news reporting. I'd like our newsies to "add something" to the item. For instance, they read up on the stuff their reporting on, so they can provide informed opinion when reporting, thereby adding something.

Writing news is not easy and will always attract criticism (even Speccy and Tinky had their own critics) and I wont pretend I have the answer to doing a good news site. I've been doing this for years, and I've found the only real answer is to have fulltime news staff. Thats a real luxury item these days when content doesnt pay for itself anymore, as advertising pays peanuts and any other benefit is hard to quantify.

News and "content" is an issue for us, as we have such limited budgets until we start to bring the cash in.
I'm open to offers if anyone out there fancies themselves as a newsie. Pre-requisites are:

Tolerance, patience, a good understanding of the world of online gaming, maturity, preferably previous experience in writing for a website and literate!

email me at ted@barrysworld.com if your interested. It can be a fun and rewarding job, and it can also be a nightmare.
 
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old.Kez

Guest
I've no problem with adding a bit of personality to whats basically the regurgitation of boring facts - if its done well. The currently imposed personification (fnar) seems rather haphazard, or half-baked. I do however understand that its likely to continue to be this way as long as amatuers are writing it.
(This isn't a snipe at them, just a general problem with reporting by the unpaid masses)

The recollection of Tinky and Speccy's ability to report is probably rose-tinted, anyway.

Did that make sense?
 
S

Skyler

Guest
Tinky/Speccy did a good job from what I remember, I enjoyed the news posts they made. But then again I enjoy what is currently posted, tho I would like to see a bit more news, sometimes I check and the news area is unchanged from the previous day kinda...

But I understand they arent paid so cant be expected to do fudgeloads everyday..

Perhaps more newsies is an answer to this ?

A couple more newsies who do specific areas will make the overall content increase.
 
W

whipped

Guest
We do try our best. At the moment we are contending with the horror that is a pre-E3 news block. No-one wants to give anything away if they can leave it to announce at E3.

This is meaning that the news is a bit sparse here and there and when it's not, the stories may not be the most exciting.

Personally I like to try and get a little bit of humor into news when possible. It's makes it feel that much more personal to the reader. Unfortunately I broke my funny bone at a very early age and it has never fully healed ;)

Keep reading the news. E3 is a couple of days away and you can be sure that there will be some nice new tidbits seeping through the woodwork.

The possibility of a 3D display for the GBA comes to mind.
 
M

Munkey-

Guest
whatever happened to the good old days of LA?

timeless classics e.g. TF, XW, tentacle one, Sam n Max, the old MI's.


they seen to have lost their sense of purpose. Have yet to play JK II but i feel this strongly.


yes
 
M

MYstIC G

Guest
Originally posted by Skyler
Perhaps more newsies is an answer to this ?
Click to expand...
Its been tried, but all the new candidates (myself included) have been slowley roasted over the open fires as it were.

Whipped & Yaka do a bloody good job tbh, especially so when its basically still volunteer stuff.
 
P

PR.

Guest
I only look hear and on The Register and I'm happy with both :)

I didn't like the BW news when it went through the phase of having no personality behind it but now its good

Keep up the good work :)
 
S

Summo

Guest
Yeowzer! A flood of news just in from Whipped and Yaka! Good work, fellas. :)
 
S

Skyler

Guest
Well I still think one more decent blokey would add to the news team nicely....

;)
 
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Summo

Guest
I AER TEH NEWS MAKER!!11!1

See here and click 'Current News' for my valuable contribution to news about GTA: Vice City.

Now what's Ted's email...
 
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