Coverage Stance on Creators, Press, & Media
Our commitment to transparency is core to our values. This commitment becomes especially critical when we report on topics or entities that may be perceived as competitors. Given the potential for both benefits and risks in such reporting, it's essential to clarify our stance.
Learn about our policies on Contact here.
Scope:
This stance applies across the spectrum of entities we may cover, which includes:
Manufacturers, e.g. computer hardware companies that make products for sale on the market
Retailers, distributors, wholesalers, and suppliers operating within coverage categories relevant to the story
Factories operating within coverage categories relevant to the story
Social media or ad agencies operating within coverage categories relevant to the story
Press, Media, and Content Creators with a wide influence and reach operating within coverage categories relevant to the story
Our Stance:
Impartiality: Our commitment is unwavering: we report based on the merits of a story and not based on affiliations or competition.
Transparency: We acknowledge that covering competitors could have benefits, such as drawing attention or generating revenue. Simultaneously, we are aware of the inherent risks, notably reputational concerns, retaliation, or isolation that come from potential perceptions of bias, or criticizing a content creator or media outlet with a loyal fanbase.
Responsibility: Covering all relevant subjects, including those seen as competitors, is essential for comprehensive reporting. Choosing to omit such stories would be a disservice to our core mission of informing our audience.
Our Reasoning:
The Broad Spectrum of Influence: Content creators, press, and media have the power to shape public perception just as powerfully, if not more so, than manufacturers or retailers. They can influence purchasing decisions, brand perceptions, and industry trends. When these influences affect our viewers, and consumers for whom we strive to bring our findings, in a negative, misleading, or unethical way, this becomes our area of coverage. Our commitment is to our audience, not to our peers. By only focusing on manufacturers or retailers, we would be neglecting a significant sector that holds critical influence over consumer choices. Ignoring misleading or erroneous information from these entities out of professional association would compromise our commitment to comprehensive, accurate reporting. We likewise view it as a double-standard that some media organizations — notably those without a “face,” but rather just text — are commonly perceived differently from video-based organizations. At GN, we treat all forms of Media, Press, and Content Creator under the same guidance, so long as they fall under our Scope of Coverage above. There is no special treatment.
Technical Expertise and Our Unique Position: We occupy a specialized niche. Our core strength lies in our in-depth understanding of testing content, particularly within the consumer electronics and computer hardware space. We are uniquely positioned to detect nuanced technical errors, inconsistencies, and misrepresentations that might go unnoticed by consumers. The nature of the specialized field is that anyone capable of and equipped for detecting errors in this kind of content is likely to be a competitor or a manufacturer. Being one of the outlets with the capability to spot these technical discrepancies places an added responsibility on us. It’s our duty to ensure that the information reaching our audience is accurate, no matter the source of that information. Our content isn't merely about relaying information; it's about delving deep, understanding intricacies, and presenting our audience with insights.
Our guiding principle remains: Serve the best interests of our audience. We trust that this stance provides a clear understanding of our decision-making process and the standards we uphold.