How Valnet Brands Master the Art of Fast and Accurate News Reporting!

by

In the bustling realm of news broadcasting, it’s crucial to share information promptly without sacrificing its truthfulness. For those who understand the challenges of this career, the ongoing balance between speed and precision is evident. It necessitates a careful harmony, where sources are verified and facts are confirmed, even as efforts continue to be the first to reveal newsworthy events quickly.

In every news department found within the expansive Valnet library of brands, there is a constant requirement to balance different topics effectively. Whether discussing recent trends in gaming, breaking film news, or technological advancements, news teams from Valnet’s varied brands all share a common approach based on this essential guideline.

Let’s dive deep into the strategies used by various Valnet websites to strike a harmonious blend between swiftness and precision in their news coverage!

Gaming News: Playing The Balancing Game

In the vibrant realm of gaming, it’s a whirlwind, constantly abuzz with fresh updates. I’m surrounded by an array of developers and publishers, each one seemingly unstoppable in their quest to create, postpone, enhance, or unveil games, all at breakneck speed. It’s a non-stop spectacle!

To stay on top of the fast-paced game news, Valnet Gaming sites must strike a balance between swift reporting and fact-checking. We had a chat with George Foster from TheGamer and Dalton Cooper from Game Rant to understand how they manage the swift-moving gaming news sphere.

In my experience, news can move at an exhilarating speed, and TheGamer is no exception. Although our news often revolves around the community, we still encounter a fair share of unexpected major stories. When it comes to maintaining accuracy, we always verify our sources – whether they’re official, such as developers or publishers, or trusted individuals like insiders. There are instances when we must take a risk and trust our instincts with a story, but we always prioritize being cautious without making definitive claims unless backed by evidence. ‘Reportedly’ is crucial in these situations!

Marrying speed and accuracy is something that comes from experience…

Dalton agrees that swift action is crucial, yet he underscores the paramount importance of precision. He explains, “Precision is our top priority, however, the nature of this work requires speed as well. When significant news breaks out, often myself or another editor will be responsible for it to ensure we can publish it without errors immediately. Achieving a balance between speed and accuracy is something that comes with experience, but it’s essential to prioritize precision first and develop habits that ensure all post content is accurate.

When it comes to ensuring an article’s factual correctness, TheGamer primarily uses a blend of validating sources and relying on their intuitive understanding of a game and its player base. As George explains, “The type of story we’re covering is crucial.” In case of breaking news, the source must be thoroughly checked because, given the prevalence of online impersonation, it becomes crucial to verify who is indeed the genuine source. This step, without a doubt, is the most significant and pivotal one.

He goes on to explain, “For stories within our community or in-game findings, our news team is typically quite familiar with the game we’re reporting on. Since we’re often fans ourselves, we usually have a good sense of what’s accurate in our favorite games. So, it’s about using our knowledge and being meticulous when verifying information.

Dalton, through his work at Game Rant, has developed a nearly automatic habit of verifying his work. “Whenever I write my own stories, I meticulously check every factual statement I make. For instance, if I discuss a game’s critical response, I will cross-reference its review scores on OpenCritic or user ratings on Steam/other platforms rather than relying solely on my knowledge. Given my immersion in the industry, it’s unusual for me to need corrections when fact-checking, but it doesn’t take much time and is crucial to prevent errors. I apply this diligence not only when writing, but also when editing posts, ensuring accuracy in details such as release dates, names, and spellings.

Instead of asking them about memorable stories from their tenure as news editors, we inquired if they could share some standout tales they’ve dealt with during this period. While George prefers discussing the appeal of weekend news, Dalton provides a detailed account of an incident involving breaking news.

George acknowledges that in his four years with us, there’s been such an abundance of news to report that singling out something specific can be challenging. However, he emphasizes one unique aspect about TheGamer – we have editors working on weekends. This means we’re frequently among the first or close to it when news breaks during the less busy days of the week. Given his background as a weekend editor, he expresses that one might be taken aback by the volume of news that surfaces unexpectedly during these quiet periods.

Conversely, Dalton shares an account with both positive and negative aspects. “Back in the day, my wife worked at a local video rental store called Family Video. As part of her job, she could take home pre-release games. This privilege allowed me to play Metal Gear Survive ahead of others, but I discovered that the game required extra payment for additional save slots.

Screen News: Watching Out For Breaking Stories

A significant portion of Valnet’s holdings consists of our “screen” sites, focusing on the most prominent news related to movies, streaming platforms, TV shows, and various pop culture elements. Given the crowded media landscape, being ready for major story breaks is crucial. We had conversations with Maggie Lovitt from Collider and Alexander Harrison from Screen Rant.

Maggie’s strategy for swiftly disseminating news involves preparing ahead. By using Valnet’s exclusive CMS, Collider constructs frameworks for probable major stories prior to their confirmation. As Maggie explains, “Much like many other news sites, we construct outlines in advance of stories being announced – such as renewals, cancellations, or rumored castings. These are constructed with all the crucial information about the topic, enabling prompt and timely publication once the stories are confirmed. For all other breaking stories, we employ nut graphs: an introductory paragraph containing all the key information, which we expand upon following publication.

We’ve made sure that everyone on our team firmly embraces the importance of factual accuracy, be it when sharing the newest Netflix casting updates or providing comprehensive coverage about how the current administration affects the movie industry.

When it comes to fact-checking, Collider primarily depends on the knowledge of their senior editorial staff. Maggie explains that most of our breaking news articles are written by our reliable team of senior writers who prioritize journalistic honesty and strive to deliver accurate, verified pieces. In instances where our team doesn’t handle breaking news, they step in to edit, ensuring accuracy as they work. Maggie emphasizes the importance of facts across all our coverage, be it the latest Netflix casting updates or comprehensive reporting on the influence of the current administration on the film industry. Collider also adheres to stringent guidelines for obtaining information, and has built strong ties with publicists who share background details, embargoed releases, and offer confirmation for questionable breaking news stories that may initially seem dubious.

When Maggie and Alex were questioned about their most memorable instances where they shared significant news, they both recalled occasions when massive franchises announced major news.

Maggie was overjoyed when she announced her major film news, having been soaring with excitement. Here’s one of my favorite recollections: I broke the trailer for The Marvels while cruising at 30,000 feet aboard an airplane, returning from Star Wars Celebration Europe. Even on in-flight Wi-Fi, we managed to scoop several industry insiders, a feat that fills our team with pride. News never rests, and neither do I.

Among all his experiences working with Screen Rant’s news team, it so happened that one of Alex’s most vivid memories is linked to the Star Wars Celebration event.

In separate conversations with Alex and Maggie, we posed the same question, yet they each recalled a strikingly similar event, which we can verify.

2023’s Star Wars Celebration marked a memorable debut for me, as I had recently been elevated to co-manage SR’s Core News team. We were partnering with a newly formed Star Wars team for this occasion, which was taking place in the UK. Consequently, some crucial individuals were on-site reporting live. Given my location in Europe and the similar time zone, I was tasked with providing support from behind the scenes. The event unfolded smoothly thanks to our pre-planning, with multiple writers from our team ready to assist with potential overflow. However, an unexpected situation arose: myself and Graeme Guttmann were the only editors available online to manage the news coverage during the event.

To my astonishment, neither Alex nor I were fully prepared for the torrent of exciting news that was about to engulf us at the Lucasfilm overview session. That day, what started as a routine panel transformed into a veritable treasure trove of announcements. For approximately an hour, they unveiled numerous new projects and premiered sneak peeks, from a thrilling trio of Star Wars films to the long-awaited first full trailer for Indiana Jones 5. Unfortunately, our Wi-Fi was unreliable, leaving only two out of our group with functioning phones to share the updates. In some instances, when someone couldn’t send crucial messages themselves, we resorted to using images of their phone screen, captured by the one with a working connection.

Initially, we anticipated that our new roles would involve a small progression. However, it unexpectedly turned into an intense, fast-paced trial for our recently established procedures. Surprisingly, these processes proved effective! We swiftly and smoothly published a multitude of articles, assigning tasks to writers as soon as they confirmed their availability online. It was both nerve-wracking and thrilling, but in the end, the accomplishment was deeply satisfying.

Tech News: Innovating On Reporting On Innovation

On our Valnet Tech platforms, we keep pace with the technological world, meticulously reporting on fresh news regarding newly unveiled products or exclusive insights from well-known tech corporations. When inquired about their approach to striking a balance between swiftness and precision, Andrew Martonik, the Operations Manager of Valnet Tech, shared that it’s all about teamwork.

In simpler terms, it’s crucial to have staff working around the clock, across different time zones, to catch news trends as they emerge. This early detection reduces the need for hurried content creation later. If you arrive late to a story, no matter how fast you type, it’s difficult to recover. Having people on standby at all hours gives us an advantage in speed. Additionally, we require editors and writers who are skilled in the process, able to swiftly compile articles when necessary. We focus on training our writers to work efficiently under pressure, ensuring they can deliver both quickly and accurately.

…it’s important to always prioritize accuracy over speed when writing an article, as rushing might lead to factual errors that could compromise your readers’ trust.

The significance of accuracy cannot be overstated, and Andrew emphasizes the strength of teamwork, especially at Valnet Tech, during fact-checking. He highlights the importance of having a close-knit group of dependable specialists in all publishing aspects, but particularly in fast-paced news. With experienced editors leading a team of trustworthy writers, they have ensured that nothing questionable will be published. While speed is crucial, he acknowledges that it should never compromise the reader’s trust by publishing articles with unverified facts. This is a lesson that writers and editors acquire over time, and at Valnet Tech, this principle is deeply ingrained in our core process.

Recently, our process has yielded some remarkable moments, like breaking news stories, such as Rich Woods’ exclusive scoop at XDA. He collaborated with a source to reveal that Microsoft was planning to discontinue Skype. Such tales tend to spread rapidly, so it’s commendable that Rich and his team were quick on the draw and first to report. That’s why XDA is frequently sought out as a primary source for all things related to Microsoft online.

Final Thoughts On Breaking News

News teams across all Valnet platforms face the challenge of balancing swiftness and accuracy in their journalism. The fast-paced modern digital environment frequently requires instant publication of news, which can sometimes conflict with the importance of meticulously confirming information.

In the fast-paced world of news, there’s an enormous push to be the one who breaks a story first. However, publishing information without verification or accuracy can significantly harm our reputation. To borrow a phrase from Marvel’s Thanos, we aim for a “balance,” where our reporting is both prompt and reliable. This is a standard that every news department within Valnet’s extensive range of brands consistently aims to meet!

Read More

2025-05-31 00:06