Play Meter

HE LAST - - JHE LAST WORD WORD Time for Tim e for en Iig hten ment tenment igh enl I recently received received an an interesting interesting call call recite recite the the following following litany litany of of recent recent of of 1988. 1988. These These athletes, athletes, weighted weighted down down recently Shewas was from aa woman womanin in California. California. She from looking for articles or commentaries from looking for articles or commentaries from PlayMeter Meteror oroutside outsidemedia mediathat thatextolled extolled Play of coin-op in general, arcades the virtues the virtues of coin-op in general, arcades specifically. specifically. Play Meter Meterhad hadfiles files toldher herthat thatwhile whilePlay IItold bulging with glowing accolades, ferreting bulging with glowing accolades, ferreting out positive positive stories stories from from non-industry non-industry out In media would prove next to impossible. media would prove next to impossible. In fact, I liken it to a search for stories fact, I liken it to a search for stories trumpeting the the praises praises of of the the Mafia, Mafia, trumpeting or garlic breath. hemorrhoids , hemorrhoids, or garlic breath. give you you an an example. example. The The Let me me give Let magazine employs a newspaper clip sermagazine employs a newspaper clip service that sends us coin-op related articles vice that sends us coin-op related articles from across across the the country. country. Aside Aside from from from positivefeature feature stories storieson onjukeboxes, jukeboxes, and and positive to a lesser extent pinball machines, the to a lesser extent pinball machines, the rest have a negative slant. Common rest have a negative slant. Common headlinesinclude include "County "County Board Board Votes Votes headlines Proposed Arcade" Arcade" or or "Video "Video Down Proposed Down Games Linked Linked To To Juvenile Juvenile DelinquenDelinquenGames cy." I'm I'mwaiting waiting for for "Mass " MassMurderer Murdererlncy." InCoin-Mech." spired By By Faulty Faulty Coin-Mech." spired isn'tmy my purpose purpose to to trace trace the the causes causes ItItisn't of this image. We all know the root ofthe the of this image. We all know the root of hysteria; sometimes it's been warranted hysteria; sometimes it's been warranted,, but usually-like usually-like most most biases-the biases- the but reasons are borne of ignorance and conconreasons are borne of ignorance and voluted logic. voluted logic. Rather, II would would like like to to remind remind Rather, operators of the things this industry has operators of the things this industry has done to make its members justifiably prodone to make its members justifiably proofbeing being ud. When When someone someone accuses accuses you you of ud. in a business that takes and takes, but in a business that takes and takes, but never gives back, clear your throat and never gives back, clear your throat and 116 PLAY PLAY METER/April METER/ April 1990 1990 116 accomplishments: accomplishments: with the the pressures pressures to to succeed succeed for for not not ononwith themselves but buttheir theircountry, country, were were able able fundraisingeffort effortconducted conductedby by lylythemselves **The The fundraising the American American Amusement Amusement Machine Machine to to unwind unwind and and take taketheir their minds minds off offof ofthe the the Charitable Foundation, in conjunction in Seoul , South tasks that awaited them Charitable Foundation, in conjunction tasks that awaited them in Seoul, South with ACME ACME '89, '89, raised raised over over $100,000 $100,000 Korea. Korea. with for the Tomorrow's Children charity. As The two two associations associations also also joined joined for the Tomorrow's Children charity. As ** The we went wenttotopress, press, the the numbers numbers weren't weren'tin in forces forces to toinstitute institute aa game game donation donation proprowe 1990 fundraiser, fund raiser, but but organizers organizers gram for the the 1990 gram for for Ronald Ronald McDonald McDonald Houses Houses nanafor are hopeful that as much money-if not tionwide. The houses, which serve as are hopeful that as much money -- if not tionwide. The houses, which serve as aa more-will be be raised. raised. How How many many inin- "home ''homeaway away from fromhome" home'' for forparents parents and and more-will dustries can can boast boast this this kind kind of ofgiving? giving? dustries AmericanAmusement AmusementMachine Machine **The The American Association (AAMA), (AAMA), recognizing recognizing the the Association opportunityto to impact impact millions millions of ofyoung young opportunity video game game players, players, implemented implemented aa sucsucvideo cessful anti-drug anti-drug abuse abusemessage message into intothe the cessful of its its member member manufacmanufacattract mode mode of attract turers' video video games. games. The The messagemessageturers' , 'WinnersDon't Don'tUse UseDrugs"-gives Drugs'' -giveskids kids "Winners positivereinforcement reinforcementfrom from aasource sourcethey they positive So trust and andoften oftencome comeinto into contact contact with. with. So trust kidscrowded crowded around aroundvideos videosare arebound boundto to kids be badly badly influenced, influenced, eh? eh? be The association association released released two two public public ** The awarenessposters postersin in conjunction conjunction with with the the awareness Prevention of of National Committee Committee for forthe thePrevention National Child Abuse. Abuse. Featuring Featuring baseball baseball player player Child Don Mattingly Mattingly and head football football Don and former former head coach/TV analyst John Madden , the camcoach/TV analyst John Madden, the campaign raised raisedpublic public consciousness consciousness about about paign this pervasive pervasiveproblem problem while while promoting promoting this offamily family unity. unity . the ideal ideal of the AAMA and and the the Amusement Amusement and and ** AAMA Music Operators Association (AMOA) Music Operators Association (AMOA) set up up aa game game room room in in Los Los Angeles Angeles for for set U.S . Olympic athletes during the summer U.S. Olympic athletes during the summer their ill ill children, children, received received videos, videos, pins, pins , their andother other coin-op coin-op equipment. equipment. How Hownice niceto to and give these these children children and and their their families families aa give pain-ifonly only for for aa short short respite from fromtheir theirpain-if respite while-so that that they they might might experience experience while-so something worth worth smiling smiling about. about. something ofthe the could go goon; on; these theseare arebut butaafew few of IIcould wonderful things things our our industry industry has has taken taken wonderful in during duringthe thepast past few few years. years. II haven't haven't partin part even touched touched on on the the goodwill goodwill displayed displayed even ofoperators operatorsand anddistributors distributors bythousands thousandsof by or towns. towns. in their their own own cities cities or in Sothe thenext next time time someone someonecriticizes criticizesthe the So coin-op industry industry as as being being aa plague plague to to coin-op American society, society, punch punch them them in in the the American kidding) . Seriously, Seriously,though, though, mouth (just (justkidding). mouth our industry carlet people know that let people know that our industry isisaacaring one. People may not know that yet ; ing one. People may not know that yet; it's time they realized it. D it's time they realized it. Christopher Caire Christopher Caire Caire Christopher News Editor Editor News