Why oh why...

[Ian W.]

Why does the media always screw things up!?! I just watched fox 5 (NY) 10 o'clock news. Yes, FIRST was in it (LI Regional), but fox made FIRST look like battle bots! I mean, they showed all the scenes of bots pushing and dragging each other, but none of bots going after goals (well, maybe one shot). But still, if i was a casual person watching tv, and i saw that, i would say, wow, FIRST robotics must be another one of those battle bots type things. Why does the media constantly do this!?! Stupid fox five people, can't even get the simple meaning of FIRST right. oh well, guess i can't really expect much. Hopefully they'll at least draw publicity, although with my luck, it will be all the people that go "WOW! There's something like battle bots right here on LI!". bah, i think i've been up to long.

[Kristina]

well i guess you can't expect much from a network that created tempation island and who wants to marry a multi-millionaire. they think they understand what people want to watch and cater to it, even if it distorts the true story.

[Wetzel]

Why?
The bottom line. And the short attention span of Americans today. If they can make it look 'cool' or interesting in a 5 second, "Later, on Fox 5 news" bit, they will go with that, and then devlop the soundbyte that they hook the viewer with. Like Doanie said, if they think their viewers want to see one side of it, thats the sid ethey will show.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

There's a saying in this business...
"Even bad press is still press" That is, it's better to get coverage that's not entirely accurate but shows enough to get interest than to have none at all. On the bright side, to get any coverage means it was a pretty slow news day and the slower the news the more coverage for FIRST. Have fun and hope that your family will see you in the background.
Good Luck All

[Ian W.]

bah, didn't even show the match i was in that they taped. oh well, i guess we cna only hope that FIRST get's something out of it.

[fast frank]

i saw this too, they pretty much only showed robots from 311 and 287. i guess they made it look like battle bots because people understand battle bots. remember? it took us a while, maybe even days to fully understand the concept of "zone zeal"

[Ian W.]

true, but fox made first look completely like battle bots. it didn't talk about anything else but robots killing each other.

[DaBruteForceGuy]

And they made it totally confusing, horrible camera angles and bad depoiction! They even edited me out! Now that is just wrong
i really think that they should stick to cheezy sitcoms and horrible real-life shows!

[Jim McGeehin]

I'd have to say, the whole thing about catering to the audience is absolutely correct.

They might mention the true purpose of FIRST, but they need something to gather the attention of the audience and make them want more. Which is why they will show bumping and pushing, not grabbing goals. Now, the whole cooperation aspect is good, but the mass of their public don't care about cooperation, they want to see damaged robots...*sigh* Such is life...

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Don't be fooled by the media hype that the audience wants to see destruction. A destroyed robot doesn't come back and play again.
Think about this, the biggest spectator sport in this country (Nascar) draws it's crowds because people want to see their champion come out each week and do well. That is week after week, year after year. People ask me constantly how FIRST stands up to "Battlebots" and my response is this..."each week most of those (Battlebot) robots are damaged and never return to play giving them an expected lifespan of just one competition. In FIRST, the robots return again and again, normally playing out fifty or more matches in a single season. They can play on a basketball court or wharehouse anywhere in the country but not Battlebots."
Anyone who has watched Battlebots, do you remember any of the robots that died from say two weeks ago?
Let's get that message out to the interviewers and newspapers.
Good Luck All

[ReijiH]

I have to disagree with the thing about getting the media attention (even if the coverage is bad), a good thing. FIRST is not trying to bring in bunch of no-brainers who, for all they care wants mechanised WWF(sorry if anyone like wrestling, it's just an example). Simply, quality of the audiance is much more important than the quantity. Even this year, i've heard some distrubing comment on how some people go around saying something in a way of their robot being battlebots....I just don't think it's a healthy thing gaining attention and new participants expecting something different than what FIRST is about.

[Perseus]

think that FIRST is a lot cooler than battlebots and other similar shows but a "layperson" doesnt appreciate the planning, designing and driving of robots unless their intent is destruction. It is definately more entertaining to them, not me, if the robots hit each other and catch on fire or something

[Ian W.]

while i agree with you on the fact that the average person just wants to see death and destruction (or at least that's the image that Fox 5 puts out), the least they could do is to try and show the actual image of FIRST. it's not asking too much, but i guess Fox doesn't have time or just wants there viewers to become more and more ignorant of the real world.