GMA 2011 FINALISTS: Coverage in a National Newspaper

There are two weeks to go until the biggest night of the year for the UK’s games media. In the run-up to the big event on Wednesday October 26th at Vinopolis, we’re providing a series of features profiling those media brands and individuals in the running for an award.

The Guardian

The Guardian continues to challenge the national newspaper orthodoxy when it comes to games coverage. Through regular news, reviews and features in G2 and The Guide, as well as daily analysis, opinion and feature content on guardian.co.uk, it has made video games a key element of its cultural and technological remit. Last year, it also held live games events in the Guardian office, presented the Tech Weekly podcast from the Develop conference in Brighton, and ran events at GameCity and the Bradford Animation festival.

The Observer

Maintaining an exceptionally strong print presence for gaming, during a period in which space in newspapers is increasingly precious, The Observer’s coverage is both broad and detailed. Importantly recognising the medium as an equal to film and music, it sits alongside these mediums in the New Review section. A team of ten aficionados offer a wide range of writing expertise, ensuring every possible genre is covered by the right gamer and that coverage as a whole is not confined to the bedroom but is as accessible to as wide an audience as possible. It’s not all reviews, either, this year saw coverage of retro, DLC, hardware, conferences, mobile, apps, online and browser games, previews, obscurities and interviews as well.

The Telegraph

Telegraph Video Games prides itself on offering the most in-depth coverage of the industry in mainstream media. The games section of The Telegraph’s website has gone from strength to strength since it was relaunched in 2007, focussing on long-form reviews, previews and features. As well as regularly appearing in the technology pages, the influence of video games has spread throughout the paper. Features in Motoring and Review have shown how video games are now a permanent fixture in culture and the arts. A new push will focus on community and providing the best articles from the finest specialist writers, as Telegraph Video Games continues to expand.

Daily Star Sunday

Game On in The Daily Star Sunday is the only full page offering dedicated to video games across the national newspapers, featuring weekly reviews, news and charts. The paper also regularly features stories from the gaming world in the news section and often runs photo shoots attached to big title launches. The page has been running for nearly five years. Game On is accompanied by the Star Tech page in The Daily Star, which runs every Thursday and features smaller game reviews alongside the best in consumer tech.

The Sun

Unlike its rivals, the team at The Sun Games Column is not paid for the work they do.

Indeed, their main job titles are elsewhere on the paper. But, solely through a love of games, the team makes sure it puts together a column each week. In the last year they’ve added an online section, and a thriving Twitter page, too. The Sun’s coverage isn’t aimed solely at gamers like most publications, it deals with the masses – making gaming appealing and relevant to the majority. Which is essential for gaming’s continued growth.

The Games Media Awards 2011, in association with Grainger Games, take place on Wednesday October 26th at the super chic Vinopolis venue near Borough Market. Greg Davies, top stand-up and star of The Inbetweeners, will be the host for the evening.

Grainger Games has signed up as headline sponsor of the event, with other sponsors already signed up including Microsoft, Codemasters, EA, Sony, Ubisoft, Nintendo, OnLive, Namco Bandai, Trion Worlds, Gamescom, Nordic Games, Konami, Sega, NC Soft, Rising Star Games, Green Man Gaming, Games Tribe, 2K Games and Venatus Media.