Re: The PBM Report

From: Joey Browning <jbrowning@stc.net>

Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 00:00:00 +0000

OK, I don't normally post to newsgroups, but I HAVE to reply to a bit of
this message.
I was US Editor of Flagship magazine for more than 2 years, and during
that time can state with confidence that we had no editorial bias. We
DID publish roumors about games, but these were clearly labeled as such.
Reviews were (of course) the opinion of the reviwer. The news articles
in "Spokesmen Speak" were all either verified, or clearly identified if
"Believed to be true but not 100% confirmed". American Flagship may be
dead, but biased reporting didn't kill it.

That having been said, I do believe that Grendal wasn't very pleased
with us, due to an incident which happend before I became US Editor, and
the complete details of which I do not have. However, I was never a
party to biased reporting - if I had biased opinions, I tried to make it
quite clear that those were just that - opinions. Though I was right
more often than not in most cases, I certainly wasn't infallable. For
example, I praised Steve Massey and Suzerainty very highly, and that
game ended up folding rather dramatically. However, at no time did I
make any attempt to downplay a game or company because of any personal
bias I may have ahd.

Joey Browning
Former US Editor, Flagship
jbrowning@stc.net

MAXNBR1 wrote:
>
> Ken Mitchell,
>     When you first posted on the AOL board for Galactic Prisoners, run by
> Grandel Inc., your bias was evident. Nevertheless, I responded because I had
> hopes that if you received an opposing view it may have helped you challenge
> some of your beliefs. After reading your most recent posts, I see how mistaken
> I was.
>  The article that you are proposing to run on Grandel inc. in your newsletter,
> the PBM Report, is nothing short of a revenge filled attack aimed at bringing
> new life to your newsletter. Your letters to me have directly contradicted your
> posts. This forces me to believe that everything you say needs to be
> scrutinized.
>     You are a first rate reporter, and with your skills Dateline should be
> giving you a call very soon. You already know the outcome of your investigative
> report before you even investigate. You have an ax to grind with Grandel Inc.
> because they were vocal opponents of the unethical activities that took place
> at Flagship. (American) Flagship died with only a few hundred subscribers
> because of their biased reporting. If you advertised, you got good press, if
> you did not you were ripped. Now the PBM Report seems to be doing the same
> thing. Grandel Inc. Refused your attempt to get them to advertise and they
> refused to subscribe so now your going to trash them for it.
>     I have been a PBM junkie since 1988. My girlfriend complains sometimes
> because I the most passionate when I am talking about PBM. I have tried the
> PBEM games, but the camaraderie, rivalries and friendships just are not the
> same. I will be very sad when the PBM industry dies. And it will die,
> unfortunately. Replaced by cheap and free PBEM. Why will it die? Partially
> because of the speed, ease and cost effectiveness of PBEM, and partially
> because of self-serving moderators and Publishers.
>     The PBM industry has always been cutthroat. There are a huge number of
> games, and a limited supply of players, and that supply of players shrinks more
> often than it grows. This makes it profitable to try to crush your competition.
> Some game masters and publishers do this by putting out a superior product or
> service (like Grandel Inc, or Paper Mayhem); others do so by trying to tear the
> competition down.
>     These others change a fun, gaming environment into a cutthroat, stressful
> race. I encourage all PBM Players not to support these ruthless game masters
> and publishers. PBM Gaming should be fun. It saddens me that I felt the need to
> print the previous, but I feel the biased and unsubstantiated reporting in the
> PBM Report needed to be addressed.
>
> Bill Bowersox
> PBM Junkie
> Icq# 4817943

References

The PBM Report
maxnbr1@aol.com (MAXNBR1)
Sat, 25 Jul 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

The PBM Report
maxnbr1@aol.com (MAXNBR1)
Sat, 25 Jul 1998 00:00:00 +0000