bobh@pedsgd.UUCP (Bob Halloran) (11/20/85)
I know this group has beaten this one to death, but after the letter
I received yesterday, I feel I have to revive the issue.
The first letter, without comment, is from the 'Director, Audience Services'
at CBS. My response letter, dated 11/20, follows. I suggest inflamed
netters to use this woman's name and address to direct subsequent
comments to CBS.
I would also appreciate if anyone still has some of the rebuttal
material laying around from this topic, that I get (E-)mailed a
copy. I plan to fill up an envelope and let her have it.
Thanks in advance.
Bob Halloran
Sr MTS, CONCURRENT Computer Corp
(Formerly Perkin-Elmer DSG)
UUCP: {decvax, ucbvax, most Action Central}!vax135\
{pesnta, topaz, princeton}!petsd!pedsgd!bobh
USPS: 106 Apple St M/S 305, Tinton Falls NJ 07724 DDD: (201) 758-7000
Disclaimer: I doubt that my employer wants anything to do with my opinions.
============================================================================
November 18, 1985
Dear Mr. Halloran,
I am replying to your correspondence concerning the 60 MINUTES
segment "Dungeons & Dragons".
We regret to learn of your reaction to this report and have shared
your observations with those responsible for the broadcast. 60 MINUTES deals
with numerous subjects, and it is inevitable that reports will elicit both
praise and criticism. Our goal is to focus a journalistic eye on newsworthy
persons and topics, and we do so without taking editorial positions. Although
you did not care for "Dungeons & Dragons", the reaction to it we have
received to it indicates that our efforts to be accurate and objective have
been successful.
Thank you for taking the time to write. We hope that future editions
of 60 MINUTES will prove more to your liking.
Cordially,
Marjorie W. Holyoke
Director, Audience Services
CBS/Broadcast Group
51 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019
===============================================================================
November 20, 1985
Ms. Marjorie W. Holyoak
Director, Audience Services
CBS/Broadcast Group
51 West 52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
Dear Ms. Holyoak,
In reference to your letter of the 18th responding to my
criticism of the 60 MINUTES segment on "Dungeons & Dragons", I
must argue your comment "that our efforts to be accurate and objective
have been successful."
In the Rocky Mountain News of Denver the week following
your broadcast, the mother of the two Colorado boys whose deaths
comprised one of the two cases your segment reported on was interviewed.
She reportedly did so specifically in response to your story. She
stated that her sons' deaths had no connection to fantasy gaming;
the elder son had recently been convicted of car theft after a
joyride with friends, and committed suicide rather than face jail.
His brother, apparently out of filial loyalty, joined him. The
investigating officer, for unknown reasons, placed the blame on
fantasy gaming after learning in the course of the investigation that
the boys had occasionally played. The boys' mother said in the
interview that her sons' involvement with the game was quite casual.
This would explain quite readily the retraction of blame by the police
department after the inquiry by TSR, Inc.
Given that half of your examples were based on fabrication,
I find your claim of accuracy and objectivity questionable, at best.
I also question your failure to address the involvement of the
'religious right' in the attacks on fantasy gaming. The recent
attacks by various 'electronic evangelists' leaves me questioning
the motives and support of the critics interviewed in your story.
The NBC TODAY program, approximately two weeks after your
broadcast, did a short segment on the 'issue' of fantasy gaming.
They had the same psychologist who appeared in your story, and
a representative of a gifted childrens' group from the San Francisco
Bay area. In this case, the psychologist once again brought up
the '45 cases' of allegedly gaming-related deaths, suicides, etc.
The woman from the childrens' group responded by suggesting that
the cases be examined individually to see what the circumstances
were in the victims' homes, etc. At this, the psychologist seemed
to be taken aback. He then suggested Congressional hearings on the
matter, at which point the childrens' group representative agreed,
saying that it would clear the air about the victims' home life,
parental pressures, etc. The psychologist appeared, to my mind at
least, to come off rather badly in this exchange. His re-iteration of
a precise number of cases frankly reminded me of Joseph McCarthy's
'list of Communists' from the 50's.
I invite your response on this matter, and sincerely hope
that 60 MINUTES will do a followup item addressing some of the
discrepencies of your original story. Thank you. I remain,
Sincerely,
Robert K Halloran III
RKH: pedsgl
cc: USENET - net.games.frprcb@rti-sel.UUCP (Random) (11/25/85)
In case you have not figured it out, this is probably the original form of the letter as it resides as CBS. >Dear <name> > > I am replying to your correspondence concerning the 60 MINUTES >segment "<show_article>". > > We regret to learn of your reaction to this report and have shared >your observations with those responsible for the broadcast. 60 MINUTES deals >with numerous subjects, and it is inevitable that reports will elicit both >praise and criticism. Our goal is to focus a journalistic eye on newsworthy >persons and topics, and we do so without taking editorial positions. Although >you did not care for "<show_article>", the reaction to it we have >received to it indicates that our efforts to be accurate and objective have >been successful. > > Thank you for taking the time to write. We hope that future editions >of 60 MINUTES will prove more to your liking. > You will now note that with the removal of the words "Dungeons & Dragons" that this is a perfect form letter intended to put off any annoying letter writers without too much trouble. I'll give you 10 to 1 odds that the entire thing is computer generated and no human or 60 minutes employee ever saw it. -- Random Research Triangle Institute ...!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb