Play Meter

- THE THE LAST LAST WORD WORD Coin-op's version version Coin-op's of Pravda? Pravda? I this month's month 's "Reader's "Reader's story, story,knowing knowingthat thatthe the "I'll ''I'll pull pull my my nn this Response" section, we at Play advertising" threat didn't apply. (If Response" section, we at Play advertising" threat didn't apply. (If Meterare aretaken takentototask taskby byaaMr. Mr. James James Meter Orr of Dallas, Texas. He bemoans the Orr of Dallas, Texas. He bemoans the lack of educational information found lack of educational information found withinthese these pages, pages ,calling calling us us "Pro''Prowithin pagandaTimes, Times, sold soldouttothehighest paganda out to the highest bidder." Ouch, Jimbo, that thathurts! hurts! bidder." Ouch, Jimbo, If I were an editor for the Soviet If I were an editor for the Soviet Union 's Pravda Pravda (or (or The The Village Village Union's Voice, for that matter), I might have Voice, for that matter), I might have clipped out his letter as an endorseclipped out his letter as an endorsement for for aajob job well-done. well-done. Instead, Instead, II ment bristle, for for indicting indictingus us in inthis this way way is is bristle, akin to charging Billboard magazine akin to charging Billboard magazine withbeing beingaarecord recordcompany company stooge, stooge, with or branding The Wall Street Journal or branding The Wall Street Journal aninsider insider trading tradinghandbook. handbook. an From time to time, readersinform inform From time to time, readers us that our news isn't hard-hitting or us that our news isn't hard-hitting or " investigative" enough. But one must "investigative" enough. But one must remember that that the the parameters parameters for for aa remember trade publication are tighter than those trade publication are tighter than those for aa newspaper newspaper or or news news magazine. magazine . for This is because the latter two aren'tas as This is because the latter two aren't beholdento tothe theadvertiser advertiseras as we weare. are. beholden Let me illustrate my point. Let me illustrate my point. At my my previous previous place place of of At employment-a daily newspaper-we employment-a daily newspaper-we ran stories storiesthat thattook tooktheir their subjects subjectsto to ran task on numerous occasions. The matask on numerous occasions. The majority of of our our advertisers advertisers were were local local jority merchants, who rarely did anything to merchants, who rarely did anything to warrant aa front-page front-page expose. expose . warrant Therefore, we could dig deep into a a Therefore, we could dig deep into 122 PLAY PLAY METER/January METER/January 1990 1990 122 game, company promotio ns, game, company promotions, employee honors,etc., etc., we wegladly gladlypass pass employee honors, along . ItIt may thepolice policechief chiefran ranan anad adat atall, all , ititwas was itit along. may not not be be considered considered the a classified three-liner wishing "news" of the "60 Minutes" variea classified three-liner wishing "news" of the "60 Minutes" variety, but it is pertinent news that should everyone a happy Christmas .) everyone a happy Christmas.) ty, but it is pertinent news that should bementioned. mentioned. But the trade press has a unique proBut the trade press has a unique pro- be Andwhen whenwe wehear hearof blem:the the subjects subjects of ofaa story-be story-be itit aa ofproblems problemsfacfacAnd blem: news item ing operators , they get reported or feature piece-are often If news item or feature piece-are often ing operators, they get reported.. If advertisers as well. As one can imsuch wasn't the case, do you think advertisers as well. As one can im- such wasn't the case, do you think agine, it's it' s hard hard to to do do aa "warts-and"warts-and- we'd we'd do do aa story story in in this this issue issue on on agine, all''vignette vignetteon onaafour-page, four-page, full-color full-color manufacturers manufacturers and and their their desire desire to to all" sugar daddy . Believe me, a story with operate? Both sides were given sugar daddy. Believe me, a story with operate? Both sides were given aa chanceto to tell tell their their side sideof 90 percent percent positives positives and and 10 10 percent percent chance ofthe the story, story, 90 andininthe theend, end ,what whatmore morecan cananyone anyone negatives results results in in aa chiding chiding phone phone and negatives call focusing on the latter, with no ask from a journalistic medium? call focusing on the latter, with no ask from a journalistic medium? mention of ofthe the former. former. mention The name of the game, game, then, then , is is The name of the balancingthe thereadership readershiptightrope. tightrope. If If balancing we come down too hard on a manufacwe come down too hard on a manufacturer, for for whatever whatever reason, reason , the the turer, operator subscribers appreciate the operator subscribers appreciate the candor. That Thatmanufacturer, manufacturer,converseconversecandor. ly , feels a sense of disloyalty on our our ly, feels a sense of disloyalty on part and may go so far as to quit adverpart and may go so far as to quit advertising.By Bythe thesame sametoken, token, ififwe wefill fillthe the tising. magazine up up with with canned canned manufacmanufacmagazine turer press releases(' 'This game our turer press releases ("This game isisour best ever, it's earning through the best ever, it's earning through the roof,' ' etc.), wemakethemhappybut roof," etc.), we make them happy but losesubscribers subscriberswho who see seethrough throughthe the lose smoke screen. screen. smoke That said,I Ibelieve believePlay PlayMeter Meterdoes does That said, an outstanding job of presenting an outstanding job of presenting varied viewpoints. viewpoints. When When the the varied manufacturer has has news news on on its its latest latest manufacturer TheKinks, Kinks, one oneof ofthe theBritish Britishbands bands The involved in the ''British Invasion'' of involved in the "British Invasion" of the early early '60s, '60s, have have aa song song called called the '' Give The People What They "Give The People What They Want. " We at Play Meter, though Want." We at Play Meter, though,, wouldrather ratherparaphrase paraphraseMick MickJagger: Jagger: would ''You can't always get what you want, "You can't always get what you want, but you just might find that you'll get but you just might find that you'll get what you you need." need ." D what Christopher Caire Christopher Caire Caire Christopher News Editor Editor News