Gamers' Voice slams The Wright Stuff

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 18 April, 2011

Makes official complaint.

Gamer rights group Gamers' Voice has pledged to write to UK broadcaster Channel 5 after The Wright Stuff linked violent video games to a real life murder.

Last week panellists on the topical talk show associated 22-year-old murderer Leon Dunkley's London gun rampage with violent videogames.

Jailed for life Dunkley murdered a 16-year-old girl after she went to buy pizza.

The Hoxton resident, who was a member of the London Fields gang, shot Agnes Sina-Inakoju through the window of a chicken and pizza shop in April last year.

The shooting was the culmination of a violent and escalating feud between groups of youths from different parts of Hackney, east London.

The Wright Stuff, however, alleged a link between video games and the crime.

A clips from 18 rated Activision shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was shown at 10.30am on Thursday 14th April – before the watershed.

"It's nothing new that TV loves to sensationalise gamers and shooters," reads a Gamers' Voice statement issued this morning.

"Instead of trying to learn and educate themselves as to why people commit horrific crimes, TV loves to target gaming. Gaming is easy to attack and it seems that it can conveniently 'explain the increase violent behaviour'.

"Gamers' Voice will be writing to Channel 5 and Princess Productions (who produce the Wright stuff) to complain at the completely unbalanced content of the show and also, inexplicably, that they showed footage from a 18 rated game at 10.30 in the morning."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (57) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • asphaltcowboy #1 1 year ago

    Good on 'em!

  • TopKatt #2 1 year ago

    You know guys, maybe it's us who's wrong here? Why don't we ban all violent video games, movies and rap music from tomorrow and I'm sure that, by this time next week, we'll all be living in peace and harmony and all violence and wars will have ended.

  • telboy007 #3 1 year ago

    How about we ban weapons? That would surely have helped.

  • natureboy #4 1 year ago

    The Wright stuff is a tabloid show and will do anything to get views so not surprised with this

  • nooneyouknow #5 1 year ago

    How about we ban weapons? That would surely have helped.

    Well in all fairness, guns aren't exactly allowed...

  • FortysixterUK #6 1 year ago

    Ahhh...the generals media ignornace know no bound.

    Fortunately, the games industry is now such a vast and money empowered juggernaut, bad press will do it little, if any harm.

    Go back a few decades and certain fils were accused of inciting violence/crime. As was rock n roll music.

    It's all bollocks. If people are going to be violent nasty scum, then it's already there inside them. They just need to hang about with other violent nasty scum to carry out their foul deeds.

    As for the loners, those who do stuff entirely solo...well.. they are you genuine nutters.

    Bring back the death sentence is what I say.

    I'd press the button, pull the lever, push the plunger, swing the axe. As long as the pay was good.

  • jambolio #7 1 year ago

    Honestly the attitude of the media and "authorities" would lead you to believe, hidden under a quarter of the nations households there was a ticking time bomb under the TV.
    Edited by jambolio at 18/04/11 @ 10:38

  • Ultrasoundwave #8 1 year ago

    I've just had a cracking idea.

    Those assholes who call themselves "Anonymous", instead of attacking Sony and other parts of the industry they supposedly love, hows about they attack The Wright Show, The Daily Mail and any other game hating organisation???

    Everyone wins.

  • TrailDingo #9 1 year ago

    wonder if they didnt have video games in the 20th century we wouldnt of had WW1 and WW2, oh wait ....THEY DIDNT!

  • canoot #10 1 year ago

    I watched the show in question and it was ridiculous to say the least,Ann Diamond tried to say there were no drive by shootings before GTA.The biggest and most violent gang in the 60's was the mafia and how many video games did they play,i e-mailed the show this question and surprise surprise it was ignored.

  • sega #11 1 year ago

    I can't believe this was linked to video games - that's absurd! Do they not know of the whole gang and drug culture that some underprivilidged youths fall in to? Most don't even care about video games - they spend their evenings on the streets, drinking, taking drugs, robbery and are more concerned over gang territory than anything else. What next, blame video games for the JFK assasination?

  • Sodding_Gamer #12 1 year ago

    Channel 5 trying their hardest to get views. They have always been desperate c**ts. Oh well fairplay to Gamer's voice. These accusations are getting ridiculous. Almost as bad as the whole Duke Nukem Sexism thing :|

  • Notallowedhere #13 1 year ago

    If video games were that powerful that they could convince rational minded individuals to do things against their will, they'd be banned...or governements would be using them

  • Gaiduku #14 1 year ago

    It's far easier to just blame video games than it is to try and understand the racial gang problem in London right now....

  • HL706 #15 1 year ago

    Maybe The Wright Stuff should focus on the real issues that contribute to youth violence? Like poverty, discrimination and a poor education system? Maybe if they donated their production costs to a cause that benefits society rather than wasting it reporting absolute tabloid rubbish the UK would be a slightly better place to live?

    Why have I let this get right under my skin?

  • RodHull #16 1 year ago

    Careful now.

  • Dr_Z #17 1 year ago

    Ann Diamond was a panelist on that show?
    *uber facepalm*

  • arcam #18 1 year ago

    Newsflash:

    Matthew Wright and Channel 5 don't really care about games one way or the other, and don't really believe they lead to murder.

    What they do believe is that this story will get some press, get people worked up and cause arguments. THIS is all Matthew Wright and Channel 5 care about.

    Every time we all bitch and moan and write stories and comments and talk to our friends, their plan is working. We are ensuring that every single time they run this same story, it is a success. We are the chumps here, Channel 5 are just trying to promote a TV show and we are doing their work for them.

  • makememoo #19 1 year ago

    TV hates gaming because it takes people away from their precious TV advertising revenue.

    The really odd thing of course is if you look at the figures, violent crimes are on the decrease year on year, yet gaming seems to be getting more and more popular. So surely games are helping decrease crime?

    Or maybe the two have no causation link apart from the very rare case where someone mentally unhinged finds that some form of media input makes them snap. Like before games were popular and films were to blame, or before that it was hidden messages in music, before that it was just music.

  • Dave_McCoy #20 1 year ago

    I forgot they actually did show a short clip of the infamous airport scene in MW2. Is that allowed before the watershed? Even the game asks you if you're sure you want to see it.

  • chrisjm #21 1 year ago

    daily mail in tv form.
    what could possibly go wrong!

  • DUFFKING #22 1 year ago

    Channel 5 is owned by Richard Desmond, who owns haterags like the Daily Express. Complaining wont change a thing, so as far as I'm concerned everyone should just bask in the fact that the readership of his papers his plummeting by the month and that nobody who isn't a mouth breathing retard watches Channel 5 anyway.

  • FeralYouth #23 1 year ago

    Who cares, the show has about 5 viewers, please don't give it attention.


  • chrisjm #24 1 year ago

    complain to ofcom who have the power to do something (although wont as there wont be a public outcry)

  • gott_sei_dank #25 1 year ago

    So the Express-ification of Channel Five continues, it would be interesting to know how much influence is being exerted on the production company.

  • Atropos #26 1 year ago

    I read an interesting statistic in Playboy Magazine, of all places, stating that since the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, the amount of active gamers in america has quadrupled - meanwhile, violent youth crime has halved.

    So, the obvious conlusion is that violent games causes youth violence? Wrrriiiight...

    Edited by Atropos at 18/04/11 @ 11:55

  • Whitster #27 1 year ago

    Apparently CVG have launched a campaign regarding this aswell called WRONG. I won't link here, what with them being a rival publication and all, but the idea is that everytime this kind of thing happens on a tabloid show it's noted by the campaign so people can complain about the unbalanced reporting. Don't know how much effect it will have but if production companys on shows like this and the Titchmarsh one are constantly having to explain themselves to Ofcom regarding the complaints they may think twice about it.
    Edited by Whitster at 18/04/11 @ 11:58

  • Kikizosan #28 1 year ago

    I think Ann Diamond does more harm than any videogame ever could. At least, those people giving airtime to her blinkered and biased opinions, and to those of people like her, are perpetuating the same tired and outdated beliefs of the effects of media on people's actions.

    There does need to be (and already is) much considered and positive debate on this subject, but as long as shows like The Wright Stuff and publications like the Daily Mail continue to spout their propaganda to the ignorant and uncaring masses, we're never going to get anywhere. I'd love for the government to impose an idiot tax.

    You'd think a professional in such a field would always be looking to grow their knowledge and experience of the world around them, so that they can present more balanced and useful opinions to viewers/readers. Clearly, these 'professionals' are more interested in their paychecks than the harm they cause to society as a whole.

    The Wright Stuff/Princess Productions should at least get fined/a slap on the wrist for airing 18-rated content before the watershed. Indeed, doing that just exposes their ignorance (or uncaring) of videogames and this issues in general.
    Edited by Kikizosan at 18/04/11 @ 12:02

  • jaxon58 #29 1 year ago

    Anne Diamond - her name is grammatically incorrect.

  • RobotRocker #30 1 year ago

    Channel 5 is owned by Richard Desmond, who owns haterags like the Daily Express.

    Oh please. If you want to do a slam on Dirty Des. Mention that he is still the largest active publisher of pornography in the UK.

    I read an interesting statistic in Playboy Magazine, of all places, stating that since the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, the amount of active gamers in america has quadrupled - meanwhile, violent youth crime has halved.

    I love that old "I just read it for the articles" joke since its a fairly good lifestyle mag with some amazing articles and some of the top journalists in the world contributing to it.

  • Paulie_P #31 1 year ago

    The funny thing is Matthew Wright constantly attacks people who watch the Jeremy Kyle show and yet he panders to the same kind of audience. The first 15 mins of the show is so cringe inducing, Matthew Wright waxes lyrical about whatever product the z-list celebrity he has on the show is promoting. It's so sycophantic, its hard to take any opinions offered up on the show seriously. Tbh I'm more offended by the way he dismisses Fathers' Rights groups on a regular basis on the show, it's like they're some sort of joke.

    The girl on the phone is great though!

  • arcam #32 1 year ago

    its hard to take any opinions offered up on the show seriously

    Maybe you're on to something.

  • castertroy #33 1 year ago

    Good for gamers voice but don't think they will get anywhere about the footage of the game being shown before the watershed. As other programmes like London tonight show clips from 18 rated films when they review them. Unless the footage was violent.

  • Architect_z #34 1 year ago

    If I remember correctly, this is was a gang related revenge killing that went wrong, instead someone innocent was killed, which I agree is tragic.
    But whats that got to do with computer games?
    It was (basically) a botched assasination.

  • M83J01P97 #35 1 year ago

    Didn't Matthew Wright try to blame video games when his girlfriend was happy slapped?

  • AdamAsunder #36 1 year ago

    @Whitster. The problem with CVG is that they're just as guilty of the same level of tabloid journalism as these knee jerk reactionary shows.

    Any site that revels in flambaiting to get hits should be ignored. They're just knee jerkers to the knee jerkers anyway.

    Just ignore them, this will all blow over once all the scared homophobic, racist and sexist generation have died out. Maybe one day we can start to look at the actual causes behind the problems of addiction, violence etc...

  • jefranklin18 #37 1 year ago

    @Atropos I read an interesting statistic in Playboy Magazine, of all places, stating that since the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, the amount of active gamers in america has quadrupled - meanwhile, violent youth crime has halved.

    People read Playboy for the articles?

  • tankboi #38 1 year ago

    Channel 5 probably causes many suicides due to its appalling quality, but you don't see us gamers demanding it gets banned.

  • mashk #39 1 year ago

    I remember when Channel Five used to be good. Back when you were guaranteed lots of softcore pornography for tuning in post watershed. God I miss Shannon Tweed.

  • icematt12 #40 1 year ago

    Considering multiple media sources incorrectly claimed you can shoot British troops in the recent MoH, when there are only US forces featured in the game, I have given up on the media being unbiased to the industry I am passionate about. Liking Gamer's Voice more and more. I personally wouldn't have thought of No Russain being broadcast before 9pm, at the very least they deserve Ofcom on their case if they showed the more... actiony parts of that scene. Certain parts, admittedly not much, would be fine to broadcast.

  • metalangel #41 1 year ago

    @jefranklin: You need to do something during the refractory period.

  • governmentyard #42 1 year ago

    Matthew Wright was out of his depth when he was a showbiz gossip columnist. I need to see this show

  • nixxrite #43 1 year ago

    hmmm, 22 year old Leon Dunkley shoots and kills innocent bystander - Obvious link to video games

    52 year old cab driver Derrick Bird shoots and kills 12 people in Cumbria - Obvious link to video games.... oh, hang on a minute

  • 32768Colours #44 1 year ago

    Videogames are this generation's rock and roll. The establishment will always find a scapegoat to explain away their own failings.

    The videogame industry should be proud to stand on the fringes of acceptance as it shows the form is still fresh and challenging, or at the very worst willing to shock its audience.

    Gaming is like Heavy Metal in some ways; both have frequently been written off as a passing fad or otherwise evil and corrupting, yet as a form of entertainment they have survived 30+ years of mainstream ignnorance by staying true to their own mandate.

    Regardless of how misunderstood or misrepresented it may be, I dread to think what kind of touchy feely industry gaming would have to become to appease tabloid low-rent hacks such as Matthew Wright or Anne Diamond. I honestly don't think the rewards for doing so will ever be worth the cost.
    Edited by 32768Colours at 18/04/11 @ 14:05

  • bad09 #45 1 year ago

    I actually saw this and had no idea why video games were in the discussion about the shooting when it was clearly gang related. Did think about ringing up but could not be bothered, the panel were idiots talking of the kids playing COD and GTA again with some twat doctor using the old "but YOU are comitting the acts" bullcrap and Anne Diamond giving her "experience" but the callers seemed to be gamers so had some understanding of reality thankfully.

  • SomaticSense #46 1 year ago

    Don't blame the governent. Don't blame the economy. Don't blame the schools. Don't blame the parents. Don't blame the class-based society we live in. Certainly don't blame poverty.

    Blame videogames.

    Because we all know videogames are the only reason these kids are tooling up and fighting rival gangs in a vain fight for survival. Don't blame any of the more valid reasons above, that's too difficult...

    Matthew Wright, Anne Diamond, and all the other critics, need to be strapped to a chair and be forced to watch all five seasons of The Wire. Maybe then they'll get more of a fucking clue.
    Edited by SomaticSense at 18/04/11 @ 15:29

  • sega #47 1 year ago

    I just actually watched this via on-demand because I was curious about what was being said and, as much as I dislike the guy, Mathew Wright did seem to be on the side of games not being the cause. The other three, however, had no idea what they were talking about (especially the one who said we've only had violent games in the past few years).

    Despite this, video games just shouldn't have been linked to the shooting in the first place - no one even mentioned anything about gangs or drugs. If they're in gangs, they're more than likely not spending hours playing games. By all means, I'm open for debates on if video games cause violence - but you can't just link it to any crime where there's no evidence other than assumption.

  • arcam #48 1 year ago

    If they're in gangs, they're more than likely not spending hours playing games.

    In my experience, British gangs spend an inordinately large amount of time playing video games. It's not like they spend all day in work or school...

  • homerramone #49 1 year ago

    I think colours is right. Video games are the new rock n roll. Maybe we can have a video game version - after all thats partly responsible for music bieng so shit these days it could be said its killed r n r..
    maybe itll kill evil video games.. oh wait.. isnt that what activision are doing ;-)

  • The-Bodybuilder #50 1 year ago

    The Wright Stuff is good for one thing and one thing only...

    Kirsty

  • DAN.E.B #51 1 year ago

    So its game related not gang related?
    ok......

  • sega #52 1 year ago

    @arcam - the games these kids play is the odd bout of Fifa generally if anything. The evenings they're out on the street, during the day they just sleep mostly - these are gang kids, not your average kids They may not spend their days at work or school but they'll be around shopping centers, children's playgrounds after they close, taking drugs in a derelict house etc. Trust me, games are not on their mind that much.

  • foojoo9 #53 1 year ago

    The Wright Stuff on Channel 5. Sounds like a contradiction in terms and no doubt is. The only thing that channel has ever shown that was any good was the lovely Lara Lewington on their poor excuse for a weather forecast. But I digress. How can a channel that promotes people like Jordan or other attention seeking fucktards (Big Brother contestants) have the nerve to have a serious discussion on the topic of gun and knife crime here in the U.K. It's a channel who are only too happy to promote a selfish, self obsessed, talentless breed to the general public and then have the gaul to basically tell me I'm going to shoot people if I play video games. Idiots! The only thing spoiling a whole generations mind is the "celebrities" they promote.
    Edited by foojoo9 at 18/04/11 @ 17:41

  • arcam #54 1 year ago

    Again, not my experience. As long as these kids have someone's house to play at, they'll spend most of their days playing FIFA and Call of Duty and smoking weed. Unless we're talking about hardcore criminal gangs here, who tend to be older and probably not the sort of people Anne Diamond is talking about.

    But don't get me wrong here, I'm not suggesting that playing video games is making anyone turn to gangs and violence.

  • sega #55 1 year ago

    They are the hardcore criminal gangs generally - the younger kids are recruited as runners to begin with and that's how it all starts.

  • carlitoswagon #56 1 year ago

    I've only ever watched the adds for this show and it's obviously complete shite and aimed at an audience of half wits. What they said is incorrect on so many levels that it's worth ignoring completely.

    Crime and violence are not caused by gaming. Anyone who thinks it is should be ignored.

    /making point about ignoring these folks

  • MintagedVortex #57 1 year ago

    It's amazing that this happens to be the second scandal that The Wright Stuff has got in to during this week. The first, before you ask, involved him and Anne Diamond calling us lot 'brain-dead computer nerds' that don't allow anyone else to have opinions.