Kotaku EIC Jen Glennon resigned Thursday, citing a deprioritzation of news in favor of guides content at the G/O Media-owned gaming site.
  • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.techEnglish
    141·
    9 months ago

    This seems like one of those times where the leadership believes that there’s actually value in the name of the publication. When it comes to game news, there’s hardly any value in the name.

    They aren’t the New York times of game news. I’m not going to think oh look a kotaku article just because of the name, I went there because of the quality of journalism that was there.

    If the quality of journalism falls or has fallen then I won’t go there anymore. Simple as that. An editor like this I will probably follow to the next place that they start writing from.

    • GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.eeEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      I’m not going to think oh look a kotaku article just because of the name, I went there because of the quality of journalism that was there.

      lol, I see that name and it actually lowers the likelihood I’ll read it. They do have good info, but sometimes take it too far with editorializing. That said, they’re not polygon, which I’ll just skip.

  • Emmy@lemmy.nzEnglish
    152·
    9 months ago

    Oof

    She’d only been there 6 months.

    Guides are a major source of cash for shitty games websites. So it makes sense, for a journalist who cares about news to resign when the bosses want to race to the bottom of the barrel to try and be the lowest common denominator.

  • RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.worldEnglish
    167·
    9 months ago

    I mean, Kotaku didnt have the best journalistic integrity track record to begin with, and the EIC approves their articles, so…

    50 guides a week sounds ridiculous, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Kotaku authors were already doing this.

    EDIT:

    Glennon also announced her resignation on Twitter, writing, “I’ve resigned from Kotaku and Jim Spanfeller is an herb.”

    Also, maybe don’t immediately publicly disparage your boss after resigning because they made a choice you didnt agree with?

    • loobkoob@kbin.social
      2·
      9 months ago

      Jim Spanfeller is an herb

      What does this even mean? And shouldn’t it be a herb? (Not trying to correct you on it, I know you’re just quoting, but I can’t figure out how or why you would say an herb.)

        • loobkoob@kbin.social
          1·
          9 months ago

          Ahh, that would do it! I don’t know if I’ve ever actually heard an American person say “herb” so I just assumed the “h” was pronounced like it is everywhere else! Thanks!

      • RandomGen1@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        9 months ago

        A/an before a word is dependant on how the subsequent word is pronounced, not spelled. So for that sentence, the implication is that it’s pronounced closer to “erb”, thus “an” to precede instead of “a”. Another example that’s a bit counterintuitive is “one” being pronounced like “won”, so you’d get “a one time thing” rather than “an one time thing”.

        • loobkoob@kbin.social
          2·
          9 months ago

          I’m aware of when to use “a” versus “an”, but I wasn’t aware that Americans don’t pronounce the “h”! It makes a lot more sense now, thanks!

          …well, a little bit more sense, anyway - I’m still not sure what calling someone “a herb” actually means…

          • AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.netEnglish
            1·
            9 months ago

            I wonder whether it doesn’t have any inherent meaning. I mean, we all get the sense that it’s an insult.

            I say this because one of my favourite insult formats is "you [multisyllabic adjective] [random noun]. Stuff like “You incorrigible spade” or “You abominable turnip”. They’re next to meaningless, but my intention is clear

      • RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        9 months ago

        Well I think others have already sufficiently explained the grammar rule that applies to “an herb,” so I won’t mention it further.

        As far as what it means, who even knows? However, it is clear from the context that it is meant to be a negative remark. This person made this tweet while upset after just resigning because the Kotaku CEO wants the authors to focus on video game guides rather than news, which the EIC says is in direct conflict “with her vision for the company.” Saying anything unclear about the CEO with that context is obvious that it would be meant in a negative or disparaging way.

  • blackfire@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    9 months ago

    They seem to be pivoting because all of their sites views are tanking. I don’t really know why but maybe because they haven’t changed and people got bored? I only really read kotaku when it shows up here.

    • zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      Kotaku has been garbage for years. My last straw was when they put spoilers for Arkham city in the title of an article before the game launched

    • mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      33·
      9 months ago

      Kotaku hasn’t been known for journalistic integrity for years. I’m honestly surprised and disappointed it took this long for their views to tank