[Jerry D]

Hi everyone. For quite some time now, the News & Politics board has been getting hardly any posts, and there are very few regular posters left. In its heyday, this board had quite a few posters on both sides of the political spectrum, and we used to have some great debates. Granted, some of those debates got heated at times, but this board had a good core group of posters that would post here regularly, and most of those people are gone now.

In recent months, we had a poster who antagonized everyone with his misogynistic and racist remarks, and a lot of people came here to argue with him, but he crossed the lines of decency many times, and in the end, we banned him, and since then, the traffic on this board has slowed to a trickle. We had a lot of people posting here before he came along with his incredibly vile and incendiary remarks though, and I feel that we could have a lot of people posting here again without him, but we can’t continue to carry this board if hardly anyone is going to post here.

Therefore, I feel that we’re at a crossroads here, and I want your opinions of what to do about this message board. Does anyone have any ideas about what we can do to bring more posters here? Do you think that most of the people that post here at Fan Forum nowadays aren’t interested in News & Politics? Should we rename the board something else or try to broaden the scope of what we discuss here?

There really isn’t any other place on Fan Forum where people can discuss world affairs or current events. The reason this message board was established in the first place was because serious discussion topics tended to get lost on the Off Topic board, and I, personally, would still like to have a place here where we can discuss serious topics and world events, but for the past few months, the News & Politics board has averaged considerably less than the required minimum average number of posts for a board to remain here, and I have to sadly conclude that maybe this board’s time has come and gone, but before I decide to close it, I want to hear what you all have to say first. Thanks.

[Lain]

Hey Jerry.

Although I haven't been here as much as I used to, I think it may have been partly that one poster that had driven off some of the regular posters. Other than that incident, I'm not sure why people had stopped posting.

I have mixed feelings on the thought of the board closing. While understandable that the post count has been really low, whether this board is exempt or not, I'm not so sure of closing the board down. Just as you pointed out, topics that could fit in this board would easily get lost/ignored in the Off Topic board. Also, when it comes to debates whether it be the presidential, democratic, republican, or even news articles, not everyone would be interested.

I try to stop by when I can, mostly to post the articles and get in to some debatings. Maybe the kinds of discussions that go on. I really don't know.

[ceilirose]

It's a hard one but sometimes interests ebbs and flows with what's happening out there in the real world. As far as that poster is concerned - the comments went over the line so many times and for so long that it may have contributed to it. I know that the board mods were trying to keep it fair for everyone's views and it's a hard balancing act. It's just that when you have to watch what you say for fear of having someone else go off in an irrational way then it's just no fun anymore.

[sum1]

Originally Posted by ceilirose (View Post) It's just that when you have to watch what you say for fear of having someone else go off in an irrational way then it's just no fun anymore.

It's always been that way here. Didn't make the board a ghost town before.

[ceilirose]

It's a cumulative effect and this last one was pretty grievous IMO. Everyone has their breaking point - it's not universal.

Honestly though - there are many people who've left this board because things have gotten out of hand. I've always just chalked it up to the nature of posting on message boards.

[Raonaild]

However this board got into the situation it's in, it's there now. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what could be done about it? If a particular poster did drive people away, what could be done to bring them back? Or to bring in new people? Is there enough interest in this board to make it worth the effort to keep it going?

Jerry and I have both been active here in the past, and we don't particularly want to see it closed. But we're also not sure what can be done to help this board get back on its feet, so we're looking for some creative ideas to get it going again.

[Scythe]

I'm not too sure about the nature of this board, I don't post here (and I'm not even sure why I came here and saw this) but I have one suggestion - why doesn't someone start new threads for all of the headlines each day? Then posters could use it almost like a newspaper resource. Perhaps that may work better than having longer discussion threads about bigger topics as a whole.

[Raonaild]

Originally Posted by Scythe (View Post) I'm not too sure about the nature of this board, I don't post here (and I'm not even sure why I came here and saw this) but I have one suggestion - why doesn't someone start new threads for all of the headlines each day? Then posters could use it almost like a newspaper resource. Perhaps that may work better than having longer discussion threads about bigger topics as a whole.

This board has generally gotten a mix of both general topic discussions and specific article discussions. I think, and people can correct me if I'm wrong as I haven't been around here much lately, that people do post articles, but they haven't been generating a lot of feedback.

But certainly, the model of posting articles which people can discuss has been very successful at news & politics blogs on other sites.

[Ms Carolyn]

I used to post here quite a bit (actually, I used to post here a LOT), but real life got crazy and I got busy elsewhere. But I'd hate to see this board go by the way, especially in an election year here in the U.S., and I'll try to post more often.

[sunnykerr]

It seems to be that issues tend to get more traction than actual news stories. I could be wrong about that, though. But we've had very lively debates about a lot of things such as abortion, religion, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and so on.

[AmeliaBeck]

I used to post here over the summer, but like other people, my life has gotten very hectic and I haven't been able to post in quiet awhile.

I'm really not trying to push people's buttons, that is not my purpose, but do you really think that it was just the one poster's fault for the board to have fewer posts? I'm just wondering. I am familiar with the situation but I never thought it was just because of a single poster.

Anyways, I agree with what Jen had posted about headlines each day. I do not think this board should close since it is an important feature of FF. I do like to read the articles about the crazy/insane stuff as well as the important topics, so I like both. I guess I just need to post more instead of lurking.

[migamoo]

Sunny, I think it can go both ways. It depends on what the news is I think. If it's something quite a few people are passionate about, debate ensues. But in general, you're probably right.

[sum1]

No I don't think it was just one poster that discouraged people from posting. There have been a number of cases in which right wing posters have complained on this board about how they feel right wing posters are unwelcome here.

[ceilirose]

What on overblown argument. I've seen everyone from both sides post passionate, heartfelt thoughts and seen both sides reduces to sniping and general b.s. It goes both ways. That excuse is old. For every person on the right who's left there some on the left who's left for similar reasons. It doesn't mean anything other then trying to garner sympathy.

Anyway for the future - if there is one we could post current events, issues etc. but someone or some entity would have to take the responsibility. for doing it.

[sum1]

Originally Posted by ceilirose (View Post) What on overblown argument. I've seen everyone from both sides post passionate, heartfelt thoughts and seen both sides reduces to sniping and general b.s. It goes both ways. That excuse is old. For every person on the right who's left there some on the left who's left for similar reasons. It doesn't mean anything other then trying to garner sympathy.

That's easy to say when you're in the majority.