Quoted from zpinman370:The evidence, is in the opinions being put forth on TPN that all is rosy with every game being put out - especially as a distributor selling them. Its a savvy way to drive sales so good idea to think this up.
Most of us are not lemmings waiting in line to spend big $$ on a game that looks like the moon after a couple hundred plays or $600.00 on a topper just because someone says - Buy, Buy, Buy
As for liking Kaneda, at least he was objective for the most part even if way over the top on a lot of things.
We used to all love the SDTM episodes and the presentation put forth but we know how that changed. I feel bad for your buddy, as we all really like him, and he is now become an unwitting accomplice of another infomercial to shill product.
BTW- the singing on TPN sucks - I can just visualize your co-host Krienging every time it happens
Quoted from Spelunk71:The bottom line is that you have a conflict of interest in being both a distributor who makes a living selling pinball machines and a "pinball journalist" who purports to offer objective opinions about the same pinball machines. That's not any sort of judgment on you or your character. It's just a fact. Government employees, for example (well, except maybe for one...), are not allowed to hold financial interests in companies in industries they regulate. Even if people may be able to offer valid, accurate opinions/decisions despite the conflict, there is always going to be doubt about the true motive if there is a conflict of interest--or as they say in my line of work "an appearance of impropriety."
That's not to say you don't have a lot to offer in your podcasts, but many are going to prefer an objective voice when they are looking for reviews of games and accessories.
You do realize that there are like 11 different podcasts on TPN, with over a dozen hosts. Zach is the only person on the network that is also a distributor, and he is only really on one of the shows. Now a few of the hosts of the other shows do work in the industry in some capacity, but most do not.
Zach and Dennis do not censor or control the content of the other shows on The Pinball Network. So if everyone on the network is taking a positive view, then that's their own choice. If the other shows on TPN are generally espousing a positive and happy take on the pinball hobby and industry, and if the other shows are usually happy with the quality of the games that are coming out, then guess what....that's really how they feel!
The people that make Pinball Media are generally people that are happy with the hobby, and excited about pinball. That's why they're making content. You can't bully people into hating Stern or taking a negative viewpoint. Maybe a lot of people simply don't share your views. If you really feel like we need more grumpy and cynical pinball content, then go make some. When I felt like something was missing from pinball media, you know what I did? I went out and made some content that filled that void. I put myself out there, got some great guests, did the prep-work, and recorded + edited a podcast for public consumption. And thanks to TPN's open-mic "Off-The-Record" podcast, I even had a platform to share it on.
If you truly feel that there's a void in pinball media now that Kaneda's gone, instead of attacking Zach, why don't you try to make some content yourself?