Pres Cafe Watch News and Information Board

[Blewatter]

Sorry just joined the forum. Hello by the way. What do you mean by “mocks”?

Back in't day, some users used to create their own versions of TV Idents and presentation. Those were called Mocks. They used to have a featured place on TV Forum and TV Live Forum. When Pres Cafe launched, they decided that they didn't want users posting mocks anymore. This caused some early outcry, but they still don't have mocks on the website. That's for a few reasons:

1. Most of the mocks (mine included) weren't very good. They were mostly Jpegs on Powerpoint slides that were screenshotted. The very good ones were few and far between.

2. There were a lot of users who were, to put it politely, blunt with users who posted mocks. And to be more honest, some users were downright horrible, and it caused a lot of issues in the community.

3. As the years went on, less people were posting mocks anyway.

Hope this is a good explanation.

Yes it is a good explanation, thanks.

I've had a look at some of them and the quality ranges from superb to dire. I "dabble" with Adobe as part of a "self-guided recovery plan" but there is no way I'd call myself an artist.

Bullying on forums makes me sick and its a major reason why I choose which forums I use very carefully.

Good luck on your recovery plan. And credit where it's due, Asa on TVF, and Rob on TVLF were very firm on those people, and both did a solid job with their respective sites

[MoeTheMan2025]

It seems I've been banned or suspended from using Pres Cafe as I presume because I used one of TVenthusiasm's video recordings in one of my last few posts? I can't tell whether or not it's a consequence of rule 14 or if they've just given up trying to give me chances to redeem myself.

Granted, I am glad I can still read the forum, just that I can't post. So much of the decisions they've taken over the years of their existence, even frequent posters of a DIscord I'm part of, Broadcast Plaza, just mention how bad the moderation and rules are, not to mention the international block they've put upon its users. And BP is intended to be a community for media discussion, far more popular in terms of news discussion but they do have a GB/IRE channel to discuss British TV pres. Though compared to PC, they aren't treating their users awfully or being secretive about their moderation.

Is it really a cafe, or is it just a school for the privileged? A TV Forum gone rogue?

Also, I salute you MoleTheMan2025 for using my profile picture, though I'd recommend you change it lest people confuse it for me.

I might change it to something I think arguably could be better, however I cannot confirm nor deny yet. Sorry for going off topic though...
Oh and by the way I checked the ITV 2022 pres thread and a line isn't going through your username (which always happens when banned). Wouldn't call it a school for the privileged though, but deffo a prison.

[TVenthusiasm2]

I concur on that. I'm also not banned either - no line through my username, but I've quit Pres Cafe anyway so not bothered.

[rob]

If you don’t like how things are run, nobody’s forcing you to stick around. Every forum has its quirks, and if Pres Café’s moderation style doesn’t suit you, it might just not be the right fit.

[1mbroglio]

Back in't day, some users used to create their own versions of TV Idents and presentation. Those were called Mocks. They used to have a featured place on TV Forum and TV Live Forum. When Pres Cafe launched, they decided that they didn't want users posting mocks anymore. This caused some early outcry, but they still don't have mocks on the website. That's for a few reasons:

1. Most of the mocks (mine included) weren't very good. They were mostly Jpegs on Powerpoint slides that were screenshotted. The very good ones were few and far between.

2. There were a lot of users who were, to put it politely, blunt with users who posted mocks. And to be more honest, some users were downright horrible, and it caused a lot of issues in the community.

3. As the years went on, less people were posting mocks anyway.

Hope this is a good explanation.

Yes it is a good explanation, thanks.

I've had a look at some of them and the quality ranges from superb to dire. I "dabble" with Adobe as part of a "self-guided recovery plan" but there is no way I'd call myself an artist.

Bullying on forums makes me sick and its a major reason why I choose which forums I use very carefully.

Good luck on your recovery plan. And credit where it's due, Asa on TVF, and Rob on TVLF were very firm on those people, and both did a solid job with their respective sites

I’m sure they did and do. The forums that I use have up until now dealt with breakdowns and trauma so stepping out is like treading on eggshells.

Thanks for your kind words.

[JetixFann450]

If you don’t like how things are run, nobody’s forcing you to stick around. Every forum has its quirks, and if Pres Café’s moderation style doesn’t suit you, it might just not be the right fit.

Maybe you're right Rob. Maybe there's better places to discuss presentation than on places that micromanage their users constantly and stifling their discussions.

I have Discord and LinkedIn, these naturally feel more in line with the types of things I'm still interested in, plus feel rapid and more considerate of members.

Pres Cafe will get replaced by a Black Sheep Coffee one of these days anyway...

EDIT: I will say, I've always appreciated your moderation style, Rob, as well as Asa's. Both of you certainly did help a lot of members, including the few who would later work in the TV industry. It's just a shame it ended on not amicable terms. I'll still see the forum as an outsider, but alternatives should and always be there and I'm glad they do.

[all new Phil]

Can’t say I’ve ever felt micromanaged or that conversation was being stifled. And I post like a twat sometimes.

[JetixFann450]

Can’t say I’ve ever felt micromanaged or that conversation was being stifled. And I post like a twat sometimes.

That's completely fair, though I've never saw you as a twat per say. You were pretty level headed the times I've saw you anyway, even if some might've been passive aggressive.

[MoeTheMan2025]

I concur on that. I'm also not banned either - no line through my username, but I've quit Pres Cafe anyway so not bothered.

You do know you can actually be a former member?

[barcode]

What a storm in a teacup this thread has become over the last two page, Lets be clear if your nice, civil and don't imply anyone is crooks your get along fine on the forum. People need to remember its a presentation forum, and not a tv programme forum, which of course there is some overlap but its should be easy to see what heading in the right direction.

The rules are the rules, you have to live with them, the forum has a legacy it carry's on and thus has high standard that must be adhere to, sometimes we all forget that, its thanks to sticking to the rules which has helped keep the place going for so long.

We don't want another Digital Spy....

As said both Asa on TVF, and Rob on TVLF, both did good jobs but they had enough running battle, and wanted out, and pres cafe saw what happened and learnt from both places, so moving forward there wouldn't be as much trouble.

They want to have a nice quite life and can live without any drama.. I have to agree I've never felt micromanaged on the forum nor as it every felt they were stifling the discussions..... sometime pushed in the right direction, that was to make sure the thread don't head off into "interCity 125" tunnel.

To be fair rule 14 and 15 have been around on many forums for donkey years.. and is it really that much of a hassle? even on the Blue and purple places it really wasn't allowed either: Add anything.. like:

"here is video of Queen dancing with a fox"
Youtube link

So its simple. I remember in college a tutor just looking so defeated at how "lazy" younger people were when it come to etiquette for forums, maybe that down to the fact many of them are no longer around. Mind you If you want back 20 odd years we would all be guilty of doing it because it was the thing new at the time.

The mods are old School and so I'm and I would rather deal with there way of doing things then the new lazy way, I've seen the other places and they more like fly by the seat of your pants - shinny shinny things than the actually raw meat of presentation.

[MoeTheMan2025]

I can see this site dying fast.

We will not be adding a Requests or Mocks forum; other outlets are available for these

What other outlets even are there? Requests I'm good with, r/BritishTV covers that nicely, but Gallery is nonsensical.
Not to mention saying "We appreciate this may disappoint our international readers". There are users too, you know. 🙄