It seems to be Drama Llama Time a lot, actually.

Anyway. Hold onto your hats: this is me actually drawing a point of connection not found in the source article. Original material, in my news blog? It's more likely than you think! Read on.

Electronic Software Association awards grant to non-profit watchdog group

Earlier today, GamePolitics reported that ESA had awarded nine grants totalling $1 million to various non-profit organisations relating to the game industry. Among those groups? The National Institute on Media and the Family.

According to an ESA press release, NIMF will receive funding to "develop an on-line e-learning zone for using the latest interactive technologies to help kids and adults understand the issues and potential areas of concern with the Internet."

NIMF, if you recall, has been central to several gaming controversies in the past, most notably exacerbating the "Hot Coffee" scandal and helping bring it to national attention, where otherwise it would probably have remained a little-known, apocraphal gaming legend.

If you're a member of the Book Club here on Gamervision, NIMF takes on another, more recent familiarity. That's because our current book, Grand Theft Childhood (wr. Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson), takes a critical stance on some of these so-called expert watchdog groups and found, in particular, that NIMF is a total effin sham.

The organization's name is misleading, especially to the general public. [...] In fact, it would be absurd to describe it as either national or as an institute that's on par with [...] similar-sounding organizations.

According to a recent (2005) informational tax filing with the Internal Revenue Service, which is a public record, all of the members of its board of directors are from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. The NIMF, during that year at least, had only one senior employee [...] his wife received an undisclosed amount of money as an independent contractor. Also, the NIMF Web site is disingenuous in describing several independent part-time consultants as "staff," a description usually reserved for employees.

The NIMF has gotten into trouble for other misleading statements. For example, in its tenth annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card, which gave the ESRB rting system a failing grade, it stated that it would soon hold a "national video game summit" (a phrase as hyperbolic as its use of "National Institute") on video game ratings along with the National PTA. The PTA bristled at the implication that it supported the report card's findings: [...] "In fact, National PTA does not endorse NIMF's report. Further, it does not agree with the report's characterization of ESRB and its rating system."

The PTA did not participate in the summit that took place later that year in Minneapolis. (pp. 178-179)

Now, to be fair: things may have changed in the time between that 2005 tax filing and today. But by leaps and bounds? It's not likely. And lying liars who lie will probably keep lying.

Oh, and remember PSVratings, the ratings board NIMF wanted to install as a replacement ESRB? You don't? Well, here's some background:

PSVratings [was] a for-profit division of MediaData Corporation. [...] PSVratings shut down in 2006 after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission seized the assets of MediaData, charging individuals and companies related to MediaData with participation in multi-million-dollar securities fraud, including money laundering and a Ponzi scheme. (p. 182)

You know the proverb, "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are"?

As of this writing, GamePolitics is still awaiting comment from NIMF regarding the award. Three guesses what kind of smug grandstanding they'll adopt, though!

It raises the question: who watches the watchdogs, anyway?

UPDATE: GamePolitics has received a reply from NIMF. The details? A little spare.

This isn’t the first time the Institute has worked with an organization it has been at odds with in the past. As you may recall, we worked together with the ESRB earlier this year during the release of GTA IV. The two organizations issued a joint statement telling parents to beware and follow the ESRB’s rating on the box. Where there are areas of agreement, the Institute will work with reasonable organizations to help parents and families. If the Institute has concerns with a particular issue within the gaming industry, we will respond appropriately. Nothing has changed.

GP observes: "Broton is correct to point out that NIMF worked with ESRB on the GTA IV advisory. However, there's a wide gap between 'working with' and 'accepting money from.'"

The amount received, by the way? $50,000. Watch that "independent contractor"'s tax return, will you, IRS?

GamePolitics: Prominent Media Watchdog Group Among Game Biz Grant Recipients

GamePolitics: Conflict of Interest? NIMF Responds to GP Queries on ESA Grant

Amazon: Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth about Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do

Gamervision Book Club (join uuuuuus)

Llama Bites!

Over on the staff side, Coop has written an article on game PR firm TriplePoint owning gaming blog GameCyte, which was linked to on Drama Llama but not really picked up as a news point, to my folly. Thanks a lot, Coop!

Speaking of Coop, if you aren't yet a regular listener of his weekly Somethingcast podcast... well, why aren't you?

And reader MeLLoWDaDDee says I need a teaser, something like "save the drama for your llama". Perhaps this calls for a theme song? Thoughts?

That's it for this Drama Llama! Remember kids, cheaters never prosper-- unless you're a shady games watchdog group. Then you can apparently get the ESA to foot your bills. It's the American way!