The Media.info News and Infomation board

Inspector Sands
Posts: 365
Joined: Wed 25 Aug, 2004 00.37
Location: London

jamescridland wrote:I'd like, very much, for the forums to be used more, since it adds a human element to a website which is mostly a directory, jobs and news aggregation. The forums currently account for 2.59% of total traffic; even though the software behind them is pretty good. (I'd like to also add reply-by-email, but find it hard to justify spending time on the forum software currently, of course).

Back in the old Media UK days, the original forum was, as some have said here, a bitchfest. I'm not sure that helps anyone: but I'd certainly like more discussions about where radio's headed rather than just a place to bitch about Global. Discussions - when they get started - are pretty good with some good involvement: but the difficulty is getting someone to post an original topic starter, or to post a beginning comment on a news story. I wish I could get that to happen more.

All feedback is gratefully received.
Hi James, how is life down under?

Yep, although it was a bit of a 'bitchfest' Media UK used to be the place where proper industry people chatted it was informed and in the real world Now it's just a handful of people who have no connection to the industry (and I count Ian in that - hospital radio and 2 hours a week on community radio don't count frankly). It has got to the stage where the DS radio forum is more informative about what's actually going on than Media Info, and there's a heck of a lot of chaff in there.

It would be nice to have a genuinely good informed discussion forum for broadcasting/media production for the informed and those genuinely interested. One that's not always whinging about the license fee and how things were so much better in their rose tinted past.

I don't think it will work with a real names policy though. I'm careful what I post on TVF and DS and other places but would have to be even more careful about what I know from current and former employers if I used my real name
Martin Phillp
Posts: 1469
Joined: Wed 11 May, 2011 01.28

I mentioned to JC on email last night that I feel the forums have had their day and that the site should concentrate on the directory and jobs side instead, leaving a feedback area only.

Go to DS and Radio Today's Facebook page and it's the same characters who as Inspector Sands mentions talk about a rose tinted past or bash a market leading media group for providing output that the masses actually listen to.

TVF at least, even with cityprod and kids as members has managed to keep enthusiasts and industry insiders discussing television in a relatively sensible manner with members who care enough to try and stop the nonsense being pumped out.
TVF's London Lite.
Inspector Sands
Posts: 365
Joined: Wed 25 Aug, 2004 00.37
Location: London

Martin Phillp wrote: I mentioned to JC on email last night that I feel the forums have had their day and that the site should concentrate on the directory and jobs side instead, leaving a feedback area only.
Yes, the forums aren't useful it's only really the radio one that gets any use (I hadn't realised until today that there was a TV one). If James wants to have discussion on news items then a comment section under the news item should be enough.

The problem I suppose is that even though many forum users in the old days didn't realise it was primarily a directory, it did at least mean it got a good flow of visitors. I've no idea what the stats are like but it does seem that it's rather faded away into the background in the last few years
TVF at least, even with cityprod and kids as members has managed to keep enthusiasts and industry insiders discussing television in a relatively sensible manner with members who care enough to try and stop the nonsense being pumped out.
Yes, TVF is good in that respect, there is the nonsense but there is a lot of good knowledge and discussion - I still learn a lot from it even though I've worked in TV for 20 years. Kids are ok as long as they're genuinely interested, when I was a student eager to get into the industry I used to read the MediaUK forums and forerunners to places like DS and TVF.

It's a bit of a shame the 'Birdsong' forum on here has never really taken off
robschneider
Posts: 324
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 14.53

I miss the technical section of the old MUK. That was a genuinely interesting forum where I learned a lot.
Martin Phillp
Posts: 1469
Joined: Wed 11 May, 2011 01.28

If JC wants to keep the forums, he needs to figure out to either ban Ian and to a lesser extent Art Grainger who I think are causing the lack of media professionals to contribute or make it so niche that it becomes an industry only forum.

Sadly the days of discussing radio on a public forum sensibly are dead, thanks in part to Digital Spy who took over the mantle of the old Media UK.
TVF's London Lite.
cityprod
Posts: 108
Joined: Thu 31 Mar, 2011 12.43

You know it's kinda sad when people go onto other forums to bitch and moan and whine and complain about other people, and then they want to block and ban, like a kid in the playground putting their fingers in their ears and shouting at the top of their voice "Nah Nah Nah Can't Hear You!"

But I suppose it reflects the increasingly juvenile nature of the internet these days. From comments on news sites and blogs, to social media and forums, people just don't want to hear views they don't agree with.

Oh well, good night and good luck.
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dosxuk
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu 07 Feb, 2008 21.37
Location: Sheffield

cityprod wrote:like a kid in the playground putting their fingers in their ears and shouting at the top of their voice "Nah Nah Nah Can't Hear You!"
One kid deliberately (?) annoying all the others to the point they need to be put in detention is more like it.
cityprod wrote:From comments on news sites and blogs, to social media and forums, people just don't want to hear views they don't agree with.
This is the core of why you're pissing everyone off. You're constantly accusing everyone of being close minded and refusing to listen to alternative ideas, when actually they're quite happily doing just that. It's only your ideas, which don't seem to have any basis in reality that they're unwilling to accept. And once they call you out on it, you either start the playground insults, call them a conspiracy theorist or twist the argument such that you're accusing them of arguing against something they haven't.

As I said in a post about dalekboy, forums are like a pub. And at the moment you're the person who has an opinion on everything, most of it with no basis in reality, and you're unwilling to allow anyone else to share their phones. And if they do, you shout them down until they give up. Those people get barred. And it can only be a show of your long-standing reasonableness* that is why you haven't been yet.

* I mean that. You always used to be pretty reasonable, if unwilling to accept alternatives, but recently your behaviour has become disruptive and irritating. You need to ask yourself what's changed, because this isn't one person with a vendetta against you, nobody wants you around at the moment.
cityprod
Posts: 108
Joined: Thu 31 Mar, 2011 12.43

dosxuk wrote:
cityprod wrote:like a kid in the playground putting their fingers in their ears and shouting at the top of their voice "Nah Nah Nah Can't Hear You!"
One kid deliberately (?) annoying all the others to the point they need to be put in detention is more like it.
cityprod wrote:From comments on news sites and blogs, to social media and forums, people just don't want to hear views they don't agree with.
This is the core of why you're pissing everyone off. You're constantly accusing everyone of being close minded and refusing to listen to alternative ideas, when actually they're quite happily doing just that.
Really? The amount of baseless criticism thrown in my direction would seem to indicate otherwise. A few examples...

The James Bond Special that I 'forced on people' was actually produced in response to people's emails to me on the show, saying they wanted to hear more. So, I did that show. Then I get criticised for 'forcing my preferences on people'.

Some people here have made the claim that I must have Asperger's Syndrome or be somewhere on the Autistic spectrum. I have even had close friends of mine, real world friends, who thought I might be autistic, so at their advice, I was tested. The results showed I was not autistic.

Someone on here made the claim that the video postings I made on YouTube were "pissed up rants". Pissed? Not even remotely close. I haven't even been tipsy since I was 18, and I rarely drink alcohol. Having been an epileptic since I was 11 months old, and even though now it is very well controlled with tablets, means that allowing myself to get out of control by being drunk, isn't really a good thing for me.
It's only your ideas, which don't seem to have any basis in reality that they're unwilling to accept. And once they call you out on it, you either start the playground insults, call them a conspiracy theorist or twist the argument such that you're accusing them of arguing against something they haven't.
You see, this is part of the problem that I've identified in recent years. There are two forms of reality, co-existing in the same space at the same time. One is actual reality. The other is conservative reality. Actual reality is based on actual evidence and logic. Conservative reality is based mostly upon fears and thoughts and maybe occasionally a little hard evidence, but most evidence presented is at best circumstantial and wouldn't stand up in a court of law.

I'm a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes books, and a big believer in the methodology. Yet I've had conversations with people where they admit that they think it is perfectly proper to twist the facts, to suit their own theories and prejudices, and worse, they're quite proud about it. Everything opinion I come up with is based upon the available evidence that I can find, weighted accordingly and where necessary de-editorialised.

I appreciate that some people will find that hard to believe, but that is my level of thinking. And when people continue to espouse theories and ideas, that the evidence does not support, I get angry about it.
As I said in a post about dalekboy, forums are like a pub. And at the moment you're the person who has an opinion on everything, most of it with no basis in reality, and you're unwilling to allow anyone else to share their phones. And if they do, you shout them down until they give up. Those people get barred. And it can only be a show of your long-standing reasonableness* that is why you haven't been yet.

* I mean that. You always used to be pretty reasonable, if unwilling to accept alternatives, but recently your behaviour has become disruptive and irritating. You need to ask yourself what's changed, because this isn't one person with a vendetta against you, nobody wants you around at the moment.
It was never my aim to be disruptive. I know I can be irritating, but again, I don't intend to be. So to you all, I apologise for being disruptive and irritating and annoying, both on Media.info and TVF.
jamescridland
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat 16 Apr, 2016 20.30

It's an issue of differing views only because IanB sticks his fingers in his ears while discussing things, and appears incapable of listening to other, wiser, more experienced people. (I don't expect him to agree, but it also makes it quite difficult if any radio people who come into the forums get shouted out by Ian. I'm surprised that Matt Deegan perseveres; he clearly has a lot to offer, but if he's being shouted down by a hobby broadcaster from Devon it's a little wearing.

The sensible discussion is on Facebook, normally in a hidden or invite-only group. That's a real shame, since I'd like to produce something that allows regular radio professionals to interact with listeners and interested people. At the moment, I'm providing a platform for radio professionals to be shouted at by IanB. I'm not happy with that.

Commenting on news stories - yep, that's certainly possible, and all news stories that media.info produces ourselves (which do focus on 'future') have commenting switched on. However, there are legal issues surrounding turning commenting on for all aggregated stories, of course.
Martin Phillp
Posts: 1469
Joined: Wed 11 May, 2011 01.28

It appears both cityprod and Art Grainger have lost posting rights.
TVF's London Lite.
cityprod
Posts: 108
Joined: Thu 31 Mar, 2011 12.43

dosxuk wrote:As I said in a post about dalekboy, forums are like a pub. And at the moment you're the person who has an opinion on everything, most of it with no basis in reality, and you're unwilling to allow anyone else to share their phones. And if they do, you shout them down until they give up. Those people get barred. And it can only be a show of your long-standing reasonableness* that is why you haven't been yet.

* I mean that. You always used to be pretty reasonable, if unwilling to accept alternatives, but recently your behaviour has become disruptive and irritating. You need to ask yourself what's changed, because this isn't one person with a vendetta against you, nobody wants you around at the moment.
Well, it was never my intention to be disruptive. I do know I can be irritating, but again, that has never been my intention.

I can only apologise for my behaviour, and hope this is the beginning of an improving situation.
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