I mean newspapers stopped being relevant 5 years ago, but still. This is a good thing, the article isn't inflammatory uninformed rhetoric, nor is it blatant praising.
So a major newspaper has done a cover story on bronies, This could mean a major change in people perception of us. About time too. I just never thought it could come from Wall Street Journal.
For some reason, whenever this kind of thing happens, I always think some faggot who has not been in Internet for quite a while is going to comment on our 'mental states' and that we should be ashamed of ourselves. Or maybe I'm just being crazy.
Well that's cool. As always there will be backlash. People fear what they don't understand and tend to show that fear through hate. Hopefully there will be a few readers willing to look past the "girl's show" tag and see why we love this show so much.
Oh please, everybody finds us insane this wont help. Just read the comments.
I mean I've got a group of pretty damn close friends and I get flak for it from them, jokingly though. The only person I don't get crap from is my girlfriend.
As for the comment of not getting hired for it? I don't want to work for such an ass.
At least the article was okay, the author seemed a little weirded out, I wonder if they watched an episode?
@ionstorm: Please, there does not exist a news site out there that has a comments section free of trolls. It's not a question of IF the ad hominem attacks and homophobia will enter the thread, just whether it happens on the first post or the second.
Little by little, these articles bring a few more fans, especially non-derogatory ones like these. Hopefully it gets more people to watch the episodes and learn the messages that the show represents, even if they don't convert out of it.
The Wall Street Journal is the most circulated newspaper in the US, with a daily printing of over 2.1 million copies. However, it's not a general-purpose newspaper, but is instead primarily focused on business and financial topics.
How ponies got in there, let alone the front page, I have no idea.
*sigh* It's too bad this review is so shortsighted. They forgot to mention the excellent writing of the show, the awkward and hilarious dialogue, and they dismissed the community as being "small". We're not small.
It's funny to be grateful of such a small thing (my cynicism as to how fandoms are portrayed in wider media may be showing here) but I'm glad the chose a picture of Dash looking awesome for the first page.
Pony on the front page (with color photo) in one of the largest English speaking newspapers in the world. That's pretty dam impressive. As an aside, the WSJ is also one of the newspapers that is read at the White House.
Oh, and expect other media to echo this story. Local news companies and perhaps even some national broadcasts will have the "as reported on by the Wall St Journal today...".
Hold onto your butts, its going to be an interesting week.
Yes, I thought CJ did a much better review in that sense. He talked about the dynamic animation and legacy of legendary cartoons such as Looney Toons as part of the appeal for mature viewers.
It's a "wierd fetish" It's the "emasculation of America" It's because we're lesser people and have to watch cartoons to deal with life. (Sigmund Fraud there on the second page.) Oblgiatory Obama crack.
Oh well. I guess it's to be expected considering you're posting on a traditionally right-leaning newspaper.
TL;DR time. Do you know why I watch this? I work as a Flight Paramedic for a childrens hospital. The only TV choices I have are Fox News and Cartoons, and I can get my daily dose of racism, classism, and cynicism from the people I deal with every day. So, gimmie Cartoons and Anime.
Solid article but felt a little short. It could have dove into any number of topics it touched on. For better or worse, it still amuses me to see this in WSJ.
People seem confused as to why this is on The Wall Street Journal -- a business newspaper.
It should be obvious. They've realized that a company is making money off of a non-targeted demographic. Someone other than little girls are obsessed with this. The WSJ probably finds it important to share that information.
I think this goes right along with something I predicted -- advertisers are going to freak out at us Bronies, because we completely turn their market research upside down. We love the show even though there's no sex and violence in it, which they have assumed for DECADES was the only way to attract the 18-35 male demographic.
WSJ is just acknowledging the fact that, hey, dudes are changing, and we're not quite so predictable anymore; and that maybe more companies should treat their fans the way Hasbro has. I mean, seriously, they refuse to pull our fan videos down from YouTube. Who else does that as a marketing strategy? It's brilliant.
I'm glad this article was written. I think it bodes well for us and the entertainment industry, to be honest. Let's hope more good stuff follows.
This article is actually pretty bad press for us. There's pretty much zero mention of the fact that we just happen to like the show. Instead, it paints a picture of an obsession with the franchise and merchandise, which is only true for the minority and also just a side effect of liking the show.
@Chance, EMT-P I'm just about as right leaning as you can get, if you and me met irl and talked politics it would probably end in a fist fight, and yet a am a dedicated brony and LOVE ponies. Obligatory Obama crack (aka he sucks).
Wall Street Journal you say? *sips coffee* Bronies you say? *sips coffee* A competently written article that just reports on the fandom you say? *spit take*
It was non-derogatory, which is good. It was neutral in tone, which at least wasn't bad. It could have been more in-depth on the community... the COMMUNITY is why we have such a great community.
That seems redundant, but without all the great stuff being pumped out by fans (youtube mashups, fanfiction/art, games, etc) this would have been "just a fad" that had died out months ago. It never would have survived, at least at this intensity, between season 1 and 2, though I don't doubt many people (like myself) would still be watching it.
Also, as a financial paper, they should have focused a bit more on the impact on Hasbro's bottom line. Financial people pick up on that kind of thing, and we really want folks in Wall Street to know that quality and a respect for your customers gets rewarded. Too often, they forget that. Hasbro has not.
"quality and a respect for your customers gets rewarded. Too often, they forget that. Hasbro has not."
I wouldn't give too much credit to Hasbro - remember, the G3 cartoons were largely horrific. It's more that not assuming your fanbase is a bunch of spoon-fed morons is something they rediscovered.
I tried to leave a comment on the site but they didn't like that I didn't use a real name, yea like Im going to give my real name on the internet THATS A GOOD IDEA!
So I show up in the office this morning, and I see Rainbow Dash staring at me from next to the coffee machine. I looked around at the rest of the office, made sure no one was around, and actually slapped my own arm to make sure I had indeed actually woken up and gone to actual work.
Just... What the hell? Now I feel the need to remove the hidden pony from my desktop wallpaper, however overall I'm happy about this. Hopefully it'll get people watching the show or at least curious.
@Zalius Actually, they did on the show "Red Eye" a while back. If I remember correctly, like half of them thought it was harmless and funny, and the other half thought it was weird but nothing "bad"--just a little strange.
Mr. Subhani tried to get his rock-band mates to play some Pony-inspired covers. They declined, so he formed a new band of bronies called Neighslayer, in which he plays guitar-heavy renditions of such "My Little Pony" songs as "Art of the Dress." Woah
To be fair, it's tough to describe why someone would like a show that is (ostensibly) animated diabetes within the space of a newspaper article, especially if you're trying to uphold a neutral POV.
The fact that the article doesn't simply dwell on the 'creepy men with dolls' aspect is admirable. That's what sells, after all.
Okay, I'd be lying if I said I hate all the publicity we're getting, even if a lot of it is bad. I appreciate the fact WSJ takes the oppurtunity of running a report on bronies by going to Hasbro and asking how it has benefited financially. I mean you know,one would think the WALL STREET JOURNAL would have some statistics.
Regardless, I still am completely baffled that so many news stations and publishes are classifying "Men Watch MLP" as legitimate news.
Worldwide debt continues to grow as increasingly large segments of the citizenry of many countries take to the streets in frustration. In other news: ponies! Guys like 'em.
Well I'm going to go buy a few copies. But obviously the WSJ is trying to tap into the potential goldmine that is the Brony Community. They know that some of us will buy this edition of the WSJ and I'm 90% sure that they will be tracking these numbers. I'm estimating a rise in sales, and that's good for them and good for us, because that means that they will be willing to invest in Bronies.
Side note: who do you think the layout editor is who put the "Faster AT&T 4G" ad next to Rainbow Dash. Additional side note: the company that comes out with "Rainbow Dash Internet Service" will win the internet.
Someone from the paper #1: The protestors won't leave! Someone from the paper #2: What do you put on the front page? We can't cover them! Someone from the paper #3: How about we cover ponies? Someone from the paper #1 and #2: O_o What? Someone from the paper #3: Hear me out... there's a group of guys who like my little ponies, why don't we cover that. Someone from the paper #1: Sure okay... Someone from the paper #2: It's better than nothing...
Actually for me there are 2 articles of interest, because except from being brony I also live in Greece and let me tell you thing are really really bad here, our stupid prime minister doesn't know what he is doing. I really hope that they will hopefully overthrow him tonight. So there is something really sad in that photo for me, this is so depressing. I really hope that they will hopefully overthrow him tonight.
Wow, hoping for the (apparently real) possibility that your government is overthrown (tonight!) really puts into perspective the situation in the US. Good luck, pal! Stay safe. I am not part of the "99%" but I certainly sympathize. Hope you guys get it together over in Europe.
I come down to my computer this morning, there's the article sitting on my keyboard. I wonder, "I wonder if Equestria Daily reported about this yet". Log on to EQD news, there this is.
You know I read it and it was very well done and unbiased and I am proud that any media can remain so unbiased and factual in this day and age.
...Buuuut you'll excuse me if I go build a bomb shelter now.
My grandfather is incredibly conservative and caught in the 40's to the point that if I do anything "out of bounds" he damn near gives me a beating (since that's how it was done in his day)... and he reads the Wall street journal every damn day.
He's probably raging about the "youth of america" as we speak...
Ah well. I think that the article is quite good. At the very least, it's good to see that there are still people that try to write articles that aren't biased.
True, but remember, the host or whoever he is TRIED to put a bad spin on it in the first place though. He started off by saying "how much shame should these people feel?" I was pleasantly surprised when everyone else pretty much fought back against that notion.
I just read the post on the website and some of the comments are hilariously ignorant.
If I have to chose between ponies and adhering to a sense of masculinity that brought me to such a level of disgust, I'll take ponies. I can't imagine myself ever being that hateful.
The great thing is "masculinity," whatever THAT means, and ponies are not mutually exclusive. I'm a guy with a wife and kid, I like boating, hunting, barbecuing, football, and all sort of other stereotypical "male" things. I also like ponies, art, and other "feminine" things, whatever THAT means. I have a hybrid and an SUV (so I can get up into the mountains and pull my boat). I just recently shot some pheasants and grilled them while watching ponies on my outdoor TV. I'm a "successful" professional and so is my wife - we both like ponies. It's the 21st Century - to people that would mock bronies - your anachronistic ideas about sex and gender are invalid.
Males, men, guys, UGH! This is so backwards. A show made for girls, and the adult female fans get NO attention. They're too old for this show too, regardless of gender. Why is no one saying how remarkable THEM liking the show is?
This kind of press is just going to enforce the mentality that only the male demographic can appreciate quality storytelling, while they just throw vapid and materialistic junk at girls and women!
If this keeps up, after MLP nothing will change. It'll be an interesting footnote in the history of television and they'll all go back to pandering to the young male demographic because they'll still think girls won't watch anything that isn't a pink empty 22-minute toy commercial and women won't watch anything that isn't some sexy drama about shirtless guys.
I'll agree thaat people overlook the lasses, but girls liking these things is just not as..uh... "shocking"?
Most the comments are people saying how gay or retarded the guys are, so aat least the adult female fans don't get all that. Frankly the comments remind me just how undeveloped freedom of expression really is. "Men liking things not made for them? DISGUSTING PERVERTS!"
The male focus might be more a bi-product of people being fucking shocked that men can enjoy a TV program without severed heads, gag boobs and Italian people swearing than a lack of attention to women.
if anyone is confused by my last comment im not bashing Feminism which I support, im merely saying that the sterotypical straw feminist hurts that movement more then they help it.
yeah that isn't going to happen, look I sympathize with you guys, but man if the Greek government collapses right now the consequences on the global economy (IE stuff that actually affects me) will not be positive.
also violent overthrow of Government has no place in modern Western democracy, I hope you just mean a collapse of the current government.
Very surprised this wasn't a hatchet job, as the WSJ is a very conservative paper (owned by the same group that owns Fox News). Odd that they didn't have more analysis along the lines of a product going outside its target demographic. Although I personally have yet to buy any Pony related merchandise, all I want is a Blu-ray season 1 set, and maybe an official soundtrack CD.
@Mojo When I say overthrown I mean the prime minister not the whole government. But this whole process is going to be done by democratic means. I said tonight because tonight the parliament votes if they will support the current government, right now the government has 152 members out of a total of 300, that said it is almost sure that the members of the government will force the prime minister to resignation (because he has betrayed his own party) in order to keep the government in place. I also know that if our country collapses there will be a domino effect for all the other western countries but especially for europe. The problem though is that Europe can't even decide for what plan to implement for the country (their first 2 plans failed miserably and made things worse) and because the citation is really bad people here say if we are to fall it's better to take some others with us, and that means Germany primarily, because they had a really hostile view on us.
Thanks so much for the support. I will try to stay safe although I fear it's more of a battlefield than a country right now and for Europe, there are some really nasty gamines being played not only with us but generally with all the people living in the union. Thanks again, you have no idea how good it feels to know that there are people in your side when you and the rest of your country feel that this is the end.
don't worry, i don't think the readers of wall street journal are the kind to troll-spam websites. what this DOES mean is all the investors for hasbro are going to read this and encourage more sale to the demographic... epic win. also good for hasbro.. im gonna track their stock value this week just for shits and grins.
ah, yeah that's all totally normal parlimentary procedure and that's all fine and good, sorry for making a stupid assumption, it's just when I read stuff about overthrowing some leader my mind shifts to violent revolution, but that's just a vote of no confidence, those are perfectly normal and regular in parlimentary democracies.
then those people are douchebags who have little to no understanding of global politics and economics, if you take others with you it makes it harder for YOU to get back up as well, ESPECIALLY Germany, considering they are essentially the economy that is holding the entire EU economy together at this point.
o it's not the end, there have been far worse economic crisis's in history than the current one and nations eventually recover.
the whole "THIS IS THE END OF ALL OUR PROSPERITY, THE WEST IS GONNA END UP LIKE THE THIRD WORLD" is just people with little understanding of history or economics being alarmist.
Finally a story that doesn't try to use a fandom as an excuse to make a "shock story" to draw in more viewers and readers. I applaud thee, Wall Street Journal. Also, stay strong KouThan! This shall not be the end!
The problem for me thought is that it really came with some bad timing. Right now I am struggling to finish university as fast as I can so that I will at least have a degree if I choose to abandon and become an economic immigrant. The other problem with this crisis is that at least on this one the countries are getting in a softer but with much longer duration crisis that will seriously effect the generations to come, for example Greece is estimated to reach pre-crisis economic levels at 2125!
Yeas but try to understand what common people think and how they feel when all they hear for a year and especially the last month is all that. Plus the feeling that your life is actually handled by some guys that have been proven to be some of the worst people to handle the situation and you get the disappointment and the anger of people.
How the heck did we get on the front page of the Wall Street Journal?! Plus, I'm glad that they put the amount of effort into the article that it seems to give off and the fact that they were unbiased instead of how many other articles have been
Only discrepancy was that they said we have "at least two Pony-themed websites". Try at least a hundred. XP
Well, I don't think they'll show up here (I suppose that a website dedicated to MLP is too "girly" for their tastes), but they sure as hell showed up all over the WSJ article. It was kind of depressing to read the comments, honestly :\
@DJB123 I don't hope that they die, I'd just rather they be more open minded about other people's tastes (too much wishful thinking that America would ever stop being stupid idiots about every little thing). Much like pretty much ALL of us before watching this series, if we found out there were guys watching a "girly" TV show, we would be weirded out too. I wish something could be done about people of America... -.-;
Don't even bother worrying about the WSJ comment section; every news website, especially the major national/multinational ones are flooded with massive amounts of crazies and/or trolls. Trust me, no one commenting there is worth worrying about, and I'm sure there will be a few rational ones who'll be cool with us.
That said... Wall Street Journal? Why of all places would the Wall Street Journal publish about us? Weird. Cool, but weird.
As a(nother) feminist, I believe men should /want/ broader gender representation in the fandom. Because "grown *men* liking a little girl's show" just has hatebait written all over it.
@Muthesquirrel
I think the point Tezzle was trying to make is that it's not fair women are held to the standard that they don't ever really "grow up" or change much from childhood. It's not "shocking" for grown women or young boys (to the same degree), just grown men.
Wall Street Journal huh? Never thought that would happen.
Not surprised by the haters. They have so much trouble understanding why other people like things that aren't considered strereotypically 'normal'. Sorry if I care more about liking what I like, rather than liking what I'm 'supposed' to like.
T o people saying "must've been a slow news day", you've got to be kidding.
Top story - MF Global, the total collapse of a $41bn company, the eight-largest bankruptcy in US history.
Next down - the Greek crisis and the potential collapse of the European Union
There hasn't been any such thing as a slow news day in financial news since 2008, but this is still huge, huge, huge stuff.
Wish I could have gotten a copy of the paper. I'm in the UK but work in London, and the shops tend to have a lot of international papers. I didn't realise til too late in the day though, alas.
Obligatory negative "this won't end well" comment making it seem that I was discouraged by the comments on their website. :P
It's like I say, there's no problem with this until they literally come to kill you. The fact they haven't attempted killing or even beating us yet shows they're still all talk.
I ain't even mad. These haters who don't and can't do anything but bitch and "hack" provide me with endless entertainment! :D
Hah, congratulations dude, you featured in the WSJ's most-read, most e-mailed article of this week.
I haven't read the comments since early on, but the WSJ was never going to be our crowd, it's a right-wing business paper. Although the guy who went "First Obama, and now this"... I can't work out if he's being ironic, or if it is genuinely as funny as I'm finding it.
I do like the idea of maybe a couple of investment bankers checking it out, and walking into their offices in Goldmans or Merrill Lynch with a tiny Fluttershy hidden in their briefcases.
I love how the presence of Wall Street Journal has turned this pony thread into a politics thread. I thought it was normally the other way round.
BTW, in the upcoming election for the UK Prime Minister in 2014, I'm putting my vote in The National Equestrian Party. TWILIGHT SPARKLE FOR PRIME MINISTER!
Harrumm? :D First in Game Informer{in book 220 which i couldn't find the article and in book 223 which states about the article in book 220] and now the WSJ. So much attention for us and our little fillies. I'm amased.
"Niggas be writing bullshit like they gotta work Niggas is going through real shit, man, they out of work That's why another goddamn dance track gotta hurt That's why I'd rather spit something that got a purpose" Kanye West I can't even find work in my hometown. What the fuck is the world coming to. People like bullshit like ponies make me believe I am to good to live in this world with all these fake fucks. I hope some day god judges you bronies.
...also right-wing and left wing are just about as meaningful as two grade-school teams for dodge-ball. I wish the parties would stop with the bread ans circuses and get something done. The government was intended as a place for debate and brainstorming, not argument and feuding.
158 comments:
Zeroth
ReplyDeleteFront page? NOT BAD!
ReplyDeleteGO BRONIES! No more shall we be known as hipsters or pedophiles! We're Bronies and we're proud!
ReplyDeletelol who would have thought the day would come when RD was front and centre on wallstreet
ReplyDeleteThe Wall Street Journal's pretty big, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI don't live in the US so I'm not sure, but I've heard of it before so I assume its fairly large.
U confused old corporate crony?
ReplyDeleteFinally a Colorful Front page in the Wall St. Journal that isn't about Bar charts
ReplyDeleteMust have been a pretty boring day...
ReplyDeletewooho!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! We're today's top news :D
ReplyDeleteIf some of the comments on the webpage are representative of average WSJ readers, this might not go over well.
ReplyDelete"Limp-wristed sissies," me arse.
Front page on the WSJ? not bad.
ReplyDeleteI mean newspapers stopped being relevant 5 years ago, but still. This is a good thing, the article isn't inflammatory uninformed rhetoric, nor is it blatant praising.
If it's on the front of the Wall Street Journal, I wonder how many other newspapers are going to do reports on Bronies?
ReplyDeleteI also love how it goes from the massive economic troubles caused by Greece to a story about Ponies.
This is getting too manestream for my hipster tastes.
ReplyDelete@carfaxreport
ReplyDeleteAs long as you don't start using Gentoo or Slackware, I think you're fine.
So a major newspaper has done a cover story on bronies, This could mean a major change in people perception of us. About time too. I just never thought it could come from Wall Street Journal.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, whenever this kind of thing happens, I always think some faggot who has not been in Internet for quite a while is going to comment on our 'mental states' and that we should be ashamed of ourselves. Or maybe I'm just being crazy.
ReplyDeletePonies Occupy Wall Street Journal.
ReplyDeleteWhat a world.
Well that's cool. As always there will be backlash. People fear what they don't understand and tend to show that fear through hate. Hopefully there will be a few readers willing to look past the "girl's show" tag and see why we love this show so much.
ReplyDeleteOh please, everybody finds us insane this wont help. Just read the comments.
ReplyDeleteI mean I've got a group of pretty damn close friends and I get flak for it from them, jokingly though. The only person I don't get crap from is my girlfriend.
As for the comment of not getting hired for it? I don't want to work for such an ass.
At least the article was okay, the author seemed a little weirded out, I wonder if they watched an episode?
O..M..G!!! RAINBOW DASH AND!!!! BRONIES ON FRONT PAGE OF WALLSTREET!?!?!?! AGH!!!! YEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete... that is all
@ionstorm: Please, there does not exist a news site out there that has a comments section free of trolls. It's not a question of IF the ad hominem attacks and homophobia will enter the thread, just whether it happens on the first post or the second.
ReplyDeleteLittle by little, these articles bring a few more fans, especially non-derogatory ones like these. Hopefully it gets more people to watch the episodes and learn the messages that the show represents, even if they don't convert out of it.
ReplyDeleteFront page? Now there's a thing. Props to us!
ReplyDeleteYAY! Woohoo!
Genious!
ReplyDeletefront page? well its a newspaper so who reads them? NOT BAD anyway!
ReplyDelete@Hawkeye92
ReplyDeleteThe Wall Street Journal is the most circulated newspaper in the US, with a daily printing of over 2.1 million copies. However, it's not a general-purpose newspaper, but is instead primarily focused on business and financial topics.
How ponies got in there, let alone the front page, I have no idea.
Guys' interest MOUNTS in Girly TV Show! I get it! Mounts! Like horses!
ReplyDeleteIt's also current a front page item on the WSJ website, though that's certainly only temporary as other news stories come along.
ReplyDelete*sigh* It's too bad this review is so shortsighted. They forgot to mention the excellent writing of the show, the awkward and hilarious dialogue, and they dismissed the community as being "small". We're not small.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to be grateful of such a small thing (my cynicism as to how fandoms are portrayed in wider media may be showing here) but I'm glad the chose a picture of Dash looking awesome for the first page.
ReplyDeletePony on the front page (with color photo) in one of the largest English speaking newspapers in the world. That's pretty dam impressive.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, the WSJ is also one of the newspapers that is read at the White House.
Oh, and expect other media to echo this story. Local news companies and perhaps even some national broadcasts will have the "as reported on by the Wall St Journal today...".
Hold onto your butts, its going to be an interesting week.
@GaruuSpike
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought CJ did a much better review in that sense. He talked about the dynamic animation and legacy of legendary cartoons such as Looney Toons as part of the appeal for mature viewers.
This is Win that is all.
ReplyDeleteI need to pick one of these babies up
ReplyDeleteSome of the comments are comedy gold.
ReplyDeleteIt's a "wierd fetish"
It's the "emasculation of America"
It's because we're lesser people and have to watch cartoons to deal with life. (Sigmund Fraud there on the second page.)
Oblgiatory Obama crack.
Oh well. I guess it's to be expected considering you're posting on a traditionally right-leaning newspaper.
TL;DR time. Do you know why I watch this? I work as a Flight Paramedic for a childrens hospital. The only TV choices I have are Fox News and Cartoons, and I can get my daily dose of racism, classism, and cynicism from the people I deal with every day. So, gimmie Cartoons and Anime.
Oh, Fallout: Equestria doesn't hurt either. :)
Hehe :D best day ever.
ReplyDeleteKeep spreadin' the word Bronies. :)
ReplyDeleteSolid article but felt a little short. It could have dove into any number of topics it touched on. For better or worse, it still amuses me to see this in WSJ.
ReplyDeleteHaha... Well, I guess my Pharmacy Management professor will be reading about Bronies this morning! XD
ReplyDeletePeople seem confused as to why this is on The Wall Street Journal -- a business newspaper.
ReplyDeleteIt should be obvious. They've realized that a company is making money off of a non-targeted demographic. Someone other than little girls are obsessed with this. The WSJ probably finds it important to share that information.
I think this goes right along with something I predicted -- advertisers are going to freak out at us Bronies, because we completely turn their market research upside down. We love the show even though there's no sex and violence in it, which they have assumed for DECADES was the only way to attract the 18-35 male demographic.
WSJ is just acknowledging the fact that, hey, dudes are changing, and we're not quite so predictable anymore; and that maybe more companies should treat their fans the way Hasbro has. I mean, seriously, they refuse to pull our fan videos down from YouTube. Who else does that as a marketing strategy? It's brilliant.
I'm glad this article was written. I think it bodes well for us and the entertainment industry, to be honest. Let's hope more good stuff follows.
@MandoPony - Well, to be fair, the fandom community does add plenty of sex and violence to it. :)
ReplyDeleteThis article is actually pretty bad press for us. There's pretty much zero mention of the fact that we just happen to like the show. Instead, it paints a picture of an obsession with the franchise and merchandise, which is only true for the minority and also just a side effect of liking the show.
ReplyDelete"my daughter loved that little bright eyed, busy tailed cutey....then she grew up (recommended).."
ReplyDeleteSo 13 months counts as "grown up?"
Crazy person is crazy... or the kind of dirty pedophile some of those folks seem to think we are.
If nothing else, that article should have mentioned FIM is a completely different animal than the older shows.
@Chance, EMT-P I'm just about as right leaning as you can get, if you and me met irl and talked politics it would probably end in a fist fight, and yet a am a dedicated brony and LOVE ponies. Obligatory Obama crack (aka he sucks).
ReplyDeleteFront page? The Wall Street Journal has gotten at least 40% cooler!
ReplyDeleteI am proud to be a member of this fandom.
ReplyDeleteWall Street Journal you say?
ReplyDelete*sips coffee*
Bronies you say?
*sips coffee*
A competently written article that just reports on the fandom you say?
*spit take*
Well, that's cool.
@Hawkeye92
ReplyDeleteThat's an understatement.
@velosarahptor
ReplyDelete>My hipster desires are saddened by this news coverage.
@Chance, EMT-P -- Yeah, but my point still stands. The source material contains none of it.
ReplyDeleteWow guys. Front page of the Wall Street Journal?
ReplyDeleteI think it's oficial, don't you? We have taken over the World. Now, to take ponies into outer space!
I am so getting one today.
ReplyDeleteOh man, I'm gonna go grab me this paper right now and frame it on the wall! :D
ReplyDeleteIt was non-derogatory, which is good. It was neutral in tone, which at least wasn't bad. It could have been more in-depth on the community... the COMMUNITY is why we have such a great community.
ReplyDeleteThat seems redundant, but without all the great stuff being pumped out by fans (youtube mashups, fanfiction/art, games, etc) this would have been "just a fad" that had died out months ago. It never would have survived, at least at this intensity, between season 1 and 2, though I don't doubt many people (like myself) would still be watching it.
Also, as a financial paper, they should have focused a bit more on the impact on Hasbro's bottom line. Financial people pick up on that kind of thing, and we really want folks in Wall Street to know that quality and a respect for your customers gets rewarded. Too often, they forget that. Hasbro has not.
@psmylie
ReplyDelete"quality and a respect for your customers gets rewarded. Too often, they forget that. Hasbro has not."
I wouldn't give too much credit to Hasbro - remember, the G3 cartoons were largely horrific. It's more that not assuming your fanbase is a bunch of spoon-fed morons is something they rediscovered.
Im telling you, in 2 years or less, we will have taken over the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad.
ReplyDeleteToday the papers... tomorrow the world!
ReplyDeleteI tried to leave a comment on the site but they didn't like that I didn't use a real name, yea like Im going to give my real name on the internet THATS A GOOD IDEA!
ReplyDeleteROFL at Rainbow Dash on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Your arguments are invalid.
ReplyDeleteBetter than usual, but I'm still a bit peeved that they only describe the zealous part of the fandom :|
ReplyDeleteI kinda want to see Fox news report on us. I kinda want to see how much of a communist nazi a pony can make you...
ReplyDeleteSo I show up in the office this morning, and I see Rainbow Dash staring at me from next to the coffee machine. I looked around at the rest of the office, made sure no one was around, and actually slapped my own arm to make sure I had indeed actually woken up and gone to actual work.
ReplyDeleteJust... What the hell? Now I feel the need to remove the hidden pony from my desktop wallpaper, however overall I'm happy about this. Hopefully it'll get people watching the show or at least curious.
@Zalius Actually, they did on the show "Red Eye" a while back. If I remember correctly, like half of them thought it was harmless and funny, and the other half thought it was weird but nothing "bad"--just a little strange.
ReplyDeletefirst youtube,
ReplyDeletethen, the news,
SOON: THE WORLD
That AT&T advertisement could not have been better placed.
ReplyDelete@Chicken Vortex
ReplyDelete...
HAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!
Mr. Subhani tried to get his rock-band mates to play some Pony-inspired covers. They declined, so he formed a new band of bronies called Neighslayer, in which he plays guitar-heavy renditions of such "My Little Pony" songs as "Art of the Dress."
ReplyDeleteWoah
Looks like WSJ just got (flicks on sunglasses) 20% cooler
ReplyDeleteYEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!
Front page accompanied with a picture of Rainbow Dash
ReplyDeleteWSJ is classiest newspaper
+1 for Bronies!
ReplyDeleteGet it faster with AT&T, next to a picture of RD, that is just perfect :)
Aw someone else saw it before me :(
ReplyDeleteWell lowly but surely we shall take the world!
I am not surprised that the comment section on the site is filled with Hate...
ReplyDeleteMassive protests worldwide, and they think this is front-page news?
ReplyDeleteWell, at least they described the beginning of the 'movement' accurate.
Its below the fold unfortunately, which means most people wont see it...
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, it's tough to describe why someone would like a show that is (ostensibly) animated diabetes within the space of a newspaper article, especially if you're trying to uphold a neutral POV.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the article doesn't simply dwell on the 'creepy men with dolls' aspect is admirable. That's what sells, after all.
What is this flat folded thing and how do I use it?
ReplyDelete*ten minutes later is tangled in newspaper wading*
Screw this, I'm going back online.
@velosarahptor
ReplyDeleteYou should see some of the comments on the online version. They still think you're a pedophiliac hipster.
It's kind of a bummer.
At least the article is good & WSJ isn't trying to trivialise the sub-culture.
I want a few to save forever
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'd be lying if I said I hate all the publicity we're getting, even if a lot of it is bad. I appreciate the fact WSJ takes the oppurtunity of running a report on bronies by going to Hasbro and asking how it has benefited financially. I mean you know,one would think the WALL STREET JOURNAL would have some statistics.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, I still am completely baffled that so many news stations and publishes are classifying "Men Watch MLP" as legitimate news.
Worldwide debt continues to grow as increasingly large segments of the citizenry of many countries take to the streets in frustration. In other news: ponies! Guys like 'em.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm going to go buy a few copies. But obviously the WSJ is trying to tap into the potential goldmine that is the Brony Community. They know that some of us will buy this edition of the WSJ and I'm 90% sure that they will be tracking these numbers. I'm estimating a rise in sales, and that's good for them and good for us, because that means that they will be willing to invest in Bronies.
ReplyDeleteAlso the WSJ know that Rainbow Dash is Best pony.
Side note: who do you think the layout editor is who put the "Faster AT&T 4G" ad next to Rainbow Dash. Additional side note: the company that comes out with "Rainbow Dash Internet Service" will win the internet.
ReplyDeleteHere's my theory on why it's front page news:
ReplyDeleteSomeone from the paper #1: The protestors won't leave!
Someone from the paper #2: What do you put on the front page? We can't cover them!
Someone from the paper #3: How about we cover ponies?
Someone from the paper #1 and #2: O_o What?
Someone from the paper #3: Hear me out... there's a group of guys who like my little ponies, why don't we cover that.
Someone from the paper #1: Sure okay...
Someone from the paper #2: It's better than nothing...
And that's my theory!
Actually for me there are 2 articles of interest, because except from being brony I also live in Greece and let me tell you thing are really really bad here, our stupid prime minister doesn't know what he is doing. I really hope that they will hopefully overthrow him tonight. So there is something really sad in that photo for me, this is so depressing. I really hope that they will hopefully overthrow him tonight.
ReplyDelete@KouThan
ReplyDeleteWow, hoping for the (apparently real) possibility that your government is overthrown (tonight!) really puts into perspective the situation in the US. Good luck, pal! Stay safe. I am not part of the "99%" but I certainly sympathize. Hope you guys get it together over in Europe.
this my little pony crap is getting out of hand and needs to stop the show is not that great at all it's just a kid's show
ReplyDeleteI come down to my computer this morning, there's the article sitting on my keyboard. I wonder, "I wonder if Equestria Daily reported about this yet". Log on to EQD news, there this is.
ReplyDeleteSCORE
You know I read it and it was very well done and unbiased and I am proud that any media can remain so unbiased and factual in this day and age.
ReplyDelete...Buuuut you'll excuse me if I go build a bomb shelter now.
My grandfather is incredibly conservative and caught in the 40's to the point that if I do anything "out of bounds" he damn near gives me a beating (since that's how it was done in his day)... and he reads the Wall street journal every damn day.
He's probably raging about the "youth of america" as we speak...
@hitsugaya lover
ReplyDeleteAnd now the trolls begin to filter in.
Ah well. I think that the article is quite good. At the very least, it's good to see that there are still people that try to write articles that aren't biased.
@MandoPony
ReplyDeleteTrue, but remember, the host or whoever he is TRIED to put a bad spin on it in the first place though. He started off by saying "how much shame should these people feel?" I was pleasantly surprised when everyone else pretty much fought back against that notion.
Rainbow Dash is secretly AT&Ts new spokesperson.
ReplyDeleteFront page huh? Didn't think I'd see that.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA My favorite paper just got 20% cooler!
ReplyDelete@hitsugaya lover
ReplyDeleteUh, the WSJ comment section is back over there.
I just read the post on the website and some of the comments are hilariously ignorant.
ReplyDeleteIf I have to chose between ponies and adhering to a sense of masculinity that brought me to such a level of disgust, I'll take ponies. I can't imagine myself ever being that hateful.
TO THE FRONT PAGE
ReplyDeletelol FJ has corrupted me
Anyway a neutral report from one of the biggest publications in USA is a great boost for us.
now to do the same thing we do every night pinkie...
TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD
Sweet.
ReplyDelete@DashAttack
ReplyDeleteTruer words have yet to be spoken.
@DashAttack
ReplyDeleteThe great thing is "masculinity," whatever THAT means, and ponies are not mutually exclusive. I'm a guy with a wife and kid, I like boating, hunting, barbecuing, football, and all sort of other stereotypical "male" things. I also like ponies, art, and other "feminine" things, whatever THAT means. I have a hybrid and an SUV (so I can get up into the mountains and pull my boat). I just recently shot some pheasants and grilled them while watching ponies on my outdoor TV. I'm a "successful" professional and so is my wife - we both like ponies. It's the 21st Century - to people that would mock bronies - your anachronistic ideas about sex and gender are invalid.
:)
Damn. That;s actually really impressive, I mean, The Wallstreet Journal
ReplyDeleteMakes me even more proud to be a brony.
Keep spreadin' that love and tolerance! :D
Awesome guys! nice work! :D
ReplyDeleteI hate the WSJ, I would've preferred it was the NY Times that did this article but I give the WSJ credit for running this and not making it a hit job.
ReplyDeleteThe WJS always has stuff like this in that section, i believe they had and article about Rick Rolling not to long ago.
ReplyDeleteAny way, cool article glad that they did this.
Males, men, guys, UGH! This is so backwards. A show made for girls, and the adult female fans get NO attention. They're too old for this show too, regardless of gender. Why is no one saying how remarkable THEM liking the show is?
ReplyDeleteThis kind of press is just going to enforce the mentality that only the male demographic can appreciate quality storytelling, while they just throw vapid and materialistic junk at girls and women!
If this keeps up, after MLP nothing will change. It'll be an interesting footnote in the history of television and they'll all go back to pandering to the young male demographic because they'll still think girls won't watch anything that isn't a pink empty 22-minute toy commercial and women won't watch anything that isn't some sexy drama about shirtless guys.
@Tezzle
ReplyDeleteI'll agree thaat people overlook the lasses, but girls liking these things is just not as..uh... "shocking"?
Most the comments are people saying how gay or retarded the guys are, so aat least the adult female fans don't get all that. Frankly the comments remind me just how undeveloped freedom of expression really is. "Men liking things not made for them? DISGUSTING PERVERTS!"
The male focus might be more a bi-product of people being fucking shocked that men can enjoy a TV program without severed heads, gag boobs and Italian people swearing than a lack of attention to women.
ReplyDelete@Tezzle
ReplyDeleteand here we have an example of a straw feminist!
have a fun day making your entire movement in a joke!
on topic, I personally don't think Media expousre is a good thing for us, regardless of it's portrayed people won't really get it.
if anyone is confused by my last comment im not bashing Feminism which I support, im merely saying that the sterotypical straw feminist hurts that movement more then they help it.
ReplyDelete@KouThan
ReplyDeleteyeah that isn't going to happen, look I sympathize with you guys, but man if the Greek government collapses right now the consequences on the global economy (IE stuff that actually affects me) will not be positive.
also violent overthrow of Government has no place in modern Western democracy, I hope you just mean a collapse of the current government.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Tezzle
ReplyDeleteBut adult women watching this show isn't newsworthy is it? I mean there's the age thing but it's not as controversial as bucking age AND gender.
It is too bad though. Because this would be the perfect show for female geeks to rally around and take ownership of.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteVery surprised this wasn't a hatchet job, as the WSJ is a very conservative paper (owned by the same group that owns Fox News). Odd that they didn't have more analysis along the lines of a product going outside its target demographic. Although I personally have yet to buy any Pony related merchandise, all I want is a Blu-ray season 1 set, and maybe an official soundtrack CD.
ReplyDeleteI hope this publicity leads to an influx of new bronies and productivity.
ReplyDelete@Flutterfan Personally, I love the show particularly for its feminist aspects, being a feminist myself.
ReplyDeleteYup. After this get ready for even more hipsters and such to jump aboard the Brony bandwagon simply because it's a cool thing to do. lol
ReplyDelete@Mojo
ReplyDeleteWhen I say overthrown I mean the prime minister not the whole government. But this whole process is going to be done by democratic means. I said tonight because tonight the parliament votes if they will support the current government, right now the government has 152 members out of a total of 300, that said it is almost sure that the members of the government will force the prime minister to resignation (because he has betrayed his own party) in order to keep the government in place. I also know that if our country collapses there will be a domino effect for all the other western countries but especially for europe. The problem though is that Europe can't even decide for what plan to implement for the country (their first 2 plans failed miserably and made things worse) and because the citation is really bad people here say if we are to fall it's better to take some others with us, and that means Germany primarily, because they had a really hostile view on us.
Phase III - Infiltration of a global economic system, Successful!
ReplyDeleteMy non-brony friend had shown me this and i, well, i dont remember
ReplyDelete@ponydoraprancypants
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the support. I will try to stay safe although I fear it's more of a battlefield than a country right now and for Europe, there are some really nasty gamines being played not only with us but generally with all the people living in the union. Thanks again, you have no idea how good it feels to know that there are people in your side when you and the rest of your country feel that this is the end.
don't worry, i don't think the readers of wall street journal are the kind to troll-spam websites.
ReplyDeletewhat this DOES mean is all the investors for hasbro are going to read this and encourage more sale to the demographic... epic win.
also good for hasbro.. im gonna track their stock value this week just for shits and grins.
@KouThan
ReplyDeleteah, yeah that's all totally normal parlimentary procedure and that's all fine and good, sorry for making a stupid assumption, it's just when I read stuff about overthrowing some leader my mind shifts to violent revolution, but that's just a vote of no confidence, those are perfectly normal and regular in parlimentary democracies.
then those people are douchebags who have little to no understanding of global politics and economics, if you take others with you it makes it harder for YOU to get back up as well, ESPECIALLY Germany, considering they are essentially the economy that is holding the entire EU economy together at this point.
Seriously though, front page on the Journal? That's pretty awesome exposure.
ReplyDelete@KouThan
ReplyDeleteo it's not the end, there have been far worse economic crisis's in history than the current one and nations eventually recover.
the whole "THIS IS THE END OF ALL OUR PROSPERITY, THE WEST IS GONNA END UP LIKE THE THIRD WORLD" is just people with little understanding of history or economics being alarmist.
Finally a story that doesn't try to use a fandom as an excuse to make a "shock story" to draw in more viewers and readers. I applaud thee, Wall Street Journal. Also, stay strong KouThan! This shall not be the end!
ReplyDelete@Mojo
ReplyDeleteThe problem for me thought is that it really came with some bad timing. Right now I am struggling to finish university as fast as I can so that I will at least have a degree if I choose to abandon and become an economic immigrant. The other problem with this crisis is that at least on this one the countries are getting in a softer but with much longer duration crisis that will seriously effect the generations to come, for example Greece is estimated to reach pre-crisis economic levels at 2125!
@KouThan
ReplyDeleteyeah that's rediculous.
you CAN'T predict economic conditions that long term, it's simply not possible.
more than likely it'll take a decade or two, which is a lot but not over a 100 goddamn years.
Great, another thing that I have to frame! :P
ReplyDelete(Seth, I didn't know you live in Glendale! We might've been neighbors, although I had moved a few years ago.)
@Mojo
ReplyDeleteYeas but try to understand what common people think and how they feel when all they hear for a year and especially the last month is all that. Plus the feeling that your life is actually handled by some guys that have been proven to be some of the worst people to handle the situation and you get the disappointment and the anger of people.
How the heck did we get on the front page of the Wall Street Journal?! Plus, I'm glad that they put the amount of effort into the article that it seems to give off and the fact that they were unbiased instead of how many other articles have been
ReplyDeleteOnly discrepancy was that they said we have "at least two Pony-themed websites". Try at least a hundred. XP
Yonder article.
ReplyDeleteWoo! I keep noticing more bronies at my college, and even Rainbow Dash was there on Halloween. I love socializing over MLP
ReplyDeleteAnyway congrats! the fun has been doubled!
@cjwcjwcjwcjw
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't think they'll show up here (I suppose that a website dedicated to MLP is too "girly" for their tastes), but they sure as hell showed up all over the WSJ article. It was kind of depressing to read the comments, honestly :\
Not sure if it's less or MORE awesome that they didn't do Dash in their usual black and white engraved portrait style.
ReplyDelete@Elijah Bigsby
ReplyDeleteFuck those people. I hope they die.
@Elijah Bigsby: One of the trolls has already been outed as a Fake MIT Graduate thanks to us. Keep it up!
ReplyDelete@DJB123 I don't hope that they die, I'd just rather they be more open minded about other people's tastes (too much wishful thinking that America would ever stop being stupid idiots about every little thing). Much like pretty much ALL of us before watching this series, if we found out there were guys watching a "girly" TV show, we would be weirded out too. I wish something could be done about people of America... -.-;
ReplyDeleteWhat's great about this is that after some people who had no idea MLP even existed will watch it just out of curiosity and be enthralled by it :D
ReplyDelete@Xael
ReplyDeleteYes, that's how I wound up becoming a fan - I saw a video feature on Slate. The more the merrier!
Rainbow Dash on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
ReplyDeleteMind. Fucking. Blown.
@FallenRainbows
ReplyDeleteDon't even bother worrying about the WSJ comment section; every news website, especially the major national/multinational ones are flooded with massive amounts of crazies and/or trolls. Trust me, no one commenting there is worth worrying about, and I'm sure there will be a few rational ones who'll be cool with us.
That said... Wall Street Journal? Why of all places would the Wall Street Journal publish about us? Weird. Cool, but weird.
As a(nother) feminist, I believe men should /want/ broader gender representation in the fandom. Because "grown *men* liking a little girl's show" just has hatebait written all over it.
ReplyDelete@Muthesquirrel
I think the point Tezzle was trying to make is that it's not fair women are held to the standard that they don't ever really "grow up" or change much from childhood. It's not "shocking" for grown women or young boys (to the same degree), just grown men.
Wall Street Journal huh? Never thought that would happen.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised by the haters. They have so much trouble understanding why other people like things that aren't considered strereotypically 'normal'. Sorry if I care more about liking what I like, rather than liking what I'm 'supposed' to like.
T o people saying "must've been a slow news day", you've got to be kidding.
ReplyDeleteTop story - MF Global, the total collapse of a $41bn company, the eight-largest bankruptcy in US history.
Next down - the Greek crisis and the potential collapse of the European Union
There hasn't been any such thing as a slow news day in financial news since 2008, but this is still huge, huge, huge stuff.
Wish I could have gotten a copy of the paper. I'm in the UK but work in London, and the shops tend to have a lot of international papers. I didn't realise til too late in the day though, alas.
We really are taking over the world!
ReplyDelete@Tears of a Valedictorian
ReplyDelete^I agree with this guy. Then again, I usually do that.
lol: one of only three pics I was in, from the only broNYCon I ever went to, and they had to use it on the WSJ. What are the odds?
ReplyDeleteI could have gone to that meetup... fucking school... ALL MY RAGE!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete... Oh, hey, I'm in that pic as Rarity!
ReplyDeleteSame here school just so gay....
ReplyDeleteObligatory negative "this won't end well" comment making it seem that I was discouraged by the comments on their website. :P
ReplyDeleteIt's like I say, there's no problem with this until they literally come to kill you. The fact they haven't attempted killing or even beating us yet shows they're still all talk.
I ain't even mad. These haters who don't and can't do anything but bitch and "hack" provide me with endless entertainment! :D
@Mike
ReplyDeleteHah, congratulations dude, you featured in the WSJ's most-read, most e-mailed article of this week.
I haven't read the comments since early on, but the WSJ was never going to be our crowd, it's a right-wing business paper. Although the guy who went "First Obama, and now this"... I can't work out if he's being ironic, or if it is genuinely as funny as I'm finding it.
I do like the idea of maybe a couple of investment bankers checking it out, and walking into their offices in Goldmans or Merrill Lynch with a tiny Fluttershy hidden in their briefcases.
I love how the presence of Wall Street Journal has turned this pony thread into a politics thread. I thought it was normally the other way round.
ReplyDeleteBTW, in the upcoming election for the UK Prime Minister in 2014, I'm putting my vote in The National Equestrian Party. TWILIGHT SPARKLE FOR PRIME MINISTER!
Harrumm? :D First in Game Informer{in book 220 which i couldn't find the article and in book 223 which states about the article in book 220] and now the WSJ. So much attention for us and our little fillies. I'm amased.
ReplyDelete"Niggas be writing bullshit like they gotta work
ReplyDeleteNiggas is going through real shit, man, they out of work
That's why another goddamn dance track gotta hurt
That's why I'd rather spit something that got a purpose" Kanye West
I can't even find work in my hometown. What the fuck is the world coming to. People like bullshit like ponies make me believe I am to good to live in this world with all these fake fucks. I hope some day god judges you bronies.
@Tears of a Valedictorian
ReplyDelete^Thanks!
...also right-wing and left wing are just about as meaningful as two grade-school teams for dodge-ball. I wish the parties would stop with the bread ans circuses and get something done. The government was intended as a place for debate and brainstorming, not argument and feuding.