EXCLUSIVE: Maria Korolov Now Calling the Shots at InWorldz, Magnuz Binder Now Sets Policy for Great Canadian Grid, New York Times Runs Story About New Jersey! Oh the Humanity!

Okay, now that I have everyone’s attention…

Maria Korolov has decided that InWorldz will no longer release grid stats to the general public.

I know, you’re thinking, “When did Maria Korolov become the big cheese at InWorldz?” I was wondering the same thing. In the past, the management of InWorldz would be setting policy but now, they kowtow to the whims of Maria Korolov. Weird.

This is great for the management at InWorldz because now they don’t have to think. They just put out their information, see what Maria does with it, and if they don’t like it, they don’t put that info out anymore. And if anybody questions it, they can blame Maria. And everybody else can blame Maria too. It’s fun, try it.

InWorldz top dogs can pretend to be innocent — “InWorldz never wanted to do this, we were forced into it by the all-powerful Maria Korolov.” And, at least among those who eat this BS up, InWorldz management is completely free of taking responsibility for their own actions. And they get to play victim too. It’s perfect!

Meanwhile, at Great Canadian Grid, Magnuz Binder is now in charge of important policy changes. Because of Magnuz’ omnipotent influence over the management of GCG, that grid will no longer release its stats to the general public. Same deal as InWorldz and Hypergrid Business. GCG doesn’t like what Magnuz does with their numbers. What does he do? He reports them. Well, we can’t have that, can we?

So now, no one gets to see them. Well actually, GCG is still making the numbers available, if you know the secret handshake, they’re just not going to put them where the general public can see them.

In the real world, a business doesn’t get to tell a reporter or editor how to write the story. They can try but it doesn’t work that way. Imagine an RL business announcing they are no longer releasing information because they don’t like the way one reporter at one publication reports it. That business would be a laughing stock. Late night comedians would be cashing in on the jokes for weeks.

InWorldz and GCG may be virtual world playgrounds but they are also real world businesses. They don’t want people to see the numbers about activity on their grids because they are embarrassed by them. (They shouldn’t be, by the way.) But if they blame one reporter or one publication, they can put up a smoke screen and make the discussion about something else. The grid bosses try to make it about the reporter’s credibility because they don’t want you to think about their own credibility.

(For further reading on this strategy, see: Nixon, Richard; Woodward, Bob; Bernstein, Carl; Bradlee, Ben; Post, The Washington)

The whole thing is quite laughable. The funniest part about InWorldz’ gripe with Maria Korolov at Hypergrid Business, is their argument that she’s not allowed to cover them in her publication because they don’t fit in there. Because it says Hypergrid in the title and InWorldz is not part of the hypergrid, they say she shouldn’t be covering them in the first place, it’s bad journalism. Would they take this same stand if they liked the articles Maria was writing about them?

I think not.

Seems to me there have been puff pieces about InWorldz in Maria’s rag in the past. I don’t remember them complaining or asking that it be removed.

Oh, here’s one…
http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2013/10/inworldz-launches-mobile-fitness-app/

I didn’t notice InWorldz management demanding there that Maria not write about them because they’re not on the hypergrid. Seems a bit inconsistent.

And while we’re at it, what’s up with The New York Times? Every day I check their website and I see stories about New Jersey and Connecticut! Even more difficult to comprehend, they do stories about Chicago and Japan too. Even New Zealand! Hello, NEW YORK Times – you’re only supposed to be doing stories about New York. Look, it says so right there in your title! In fact, as I study your title a bit more, how is it that you think you can publish stories about theatre or politics or sports? You’re not The New York Theatre or The New York Politics or The New York Sports…you are The New York TIMES. You are only supposed to do stories about what time it is in New York. Nothing else.

As a time traveler, I’d probably still check their website daily if they went this route. 🙂

I like InWorldz and I like Great Canadian Grid and I like the managers that I’ve had contact with at both of those grids. I like them very much in fact and it would be much easier for me to keep quiet. But on this one, I have to say, come on folks, get a grip. Outside of your own circles, you look rather silly right now. If you don’t like the coverage you’re getting, don’t run and hide. Make it so they have to give you good coverage. And don’t give me that whiny, “Oh we begged and pleaded with her but she wouldn’t listen!” Don’t be a wuss. Forget about her. Go get some good coverage elsewhere. Make it happen. It’s incredibly easy if you know what you’re doing. It’ll even force your perceived enemies to do coverage you’ll like too.

Unless running and hiding is what this is all about. That’s certainly the appearance it gives.

I think I’ll just sit here and wait for the non-denial denials.

 

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Note: in paragraph six, the words “and Hypergrid Business.” have been added to the original sentence “Same deal as InWorldz.” for clarification.