We're moderating comments now because we are getting legitimately spammed. Dissenting opinions are not being deleted.
This appears to have just started.
The problem here is that moderating comments is a slippery slope; we'll never know for sure what has been deleted. When does a strongly dissenting opinion cross the line into spam?
In general, I disagree with much of the spin I see on the UH front page; but I also genuinely respect the publishers of the blog. I give them the benefit of the doubt for now, but I still think this is a terrible step backwards.
We'll see if dissenting comments will continue to be heard.
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In a related issue, Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood has also been moderating discussion.
My last two comments were never posted there, and anyone who reads my posts regularly knows that while my opinion differs from that of the WGA hardliners, I am not confrontational and try to keep all the comments civilized.
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Christmas Eve Update: Comment postings have really slowed, and the last few front page stories do not appear to have comments enabled at all (though, at this point, I'm chalking this up to the UH guys wanting to spend Christmas with friends and family instead of moderating their blog).
There was one post from commenter "DP" which appears to have been editorially deleted, but he reposted and UH allowed it in its entirety.
The moderating is something to keep an eye on. It's their blog, they can do whatever they want. But as UH has grown in importance, I think it's important that we make sure we all understand where they stand in terms of comments.
If UnitedHollywood want to limit comments to pro-strike rhetoric (and there's no indication that this is happening), they have the right and they don't need me or anyone else to tell them so.
But should they indeed change their stance, it would behoove those of us with dissenting voices to ensure that others understand that UH (in that case) would not represent the whole of Hollywood.
Indeed, it was my strong reaction to their original slogan, "We're all on the same page" and the constant early mantra that the Writers somehow had all of us workerbees behind the strike that caused me to start DividedHollywood in the first place. As UnitedHollywood has been an open and valuable forum, my postings to my own blog (ie, here) have been minimal, as my concerns are actually better heard on their forum. Hopefully -- and I have no current reason to doubt otherwise -- it will continue to be.
Now I, too, am taking a break for Christmas. I hope everyone can put the current troubles aside for a day or two and truly have a very Merry Christmas.
6 comments:
I found out that UH was moderating after I submitted a comment earlier this morning. After about 45 minutes, my comment has not been posted.
To be fair, I don't think any comments have been posted since.
This is yet another problem with moderating. The rapid flow of ideas has been interrupted.
If UH has truly been getting heavily spammed, I feel for them. But I still have to wonder if this is the best solution.
At any rate, here is a second comment which I posted to the current top story (in response to their acknowledgement of moderating):
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Could we get a front page statement about the moderating of comments?
What was the "legitimate spam?" Was it Viagra ads or was it someone posting "Verrone's a jerk" over and over or was it something else?
What are the parameters for deleting or approving a comment?
I'm sure you can understand that this change could be misinterpreted and obviously makes those of us who have legitimate dissenting opinions (as well as those who care about freedom of speech) a bit apprehensive.
A quick note about the change would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
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We'll see what the response is...
So far, it appears as though posts are getting through, but the backlog is now hours.
Hopefully this is something that UH can fix quickly and re-automate the procedure so that their forums can resume in a reasonable manner.
Other news on the Moderation front: Nikki Finke has once again denied a posting from BTL Guy.
This one is simply egregious.
Nikki put up a post asking readers, "Strike-wise, what should happen next?"
I responded with a short version of my "Cease-fire is the WGA's best next step" and included a link which I told Nikki she could alter.
She chose instead to not post the comment at all. This means that my last 3 comments to Deadline Hollywood Daily have been editorially deleted. (To be more accurate, they were never posted by Nikki to begin with).
Despite Nikki's mild protestations to the contrary, everyone should know she is a strong pro-WGA-leadership blogger. Note that this is different than being simply pro-WGA.
Continue reading her column -- I do -- but understand that her comments and forums are moderated to the extreme and her posts are filtered through the prism of WGA hard-line mentality.
Again, I'm not crying "freedom of speech" or anything like that. I have my own outlet, and she has hers. Nikki has the right to do whatever she wants with her blog, including the right to shape comments and conversations to her liking.
I'm merely pointing out that it happens, so that Nikki's readers are informed readers.
Nonetheless, I'm terribly disappointed in her actions...
Nikki Finke is not a friend to either side in this conflict, but she is certainly taking the hardline WGA position pretty consistently. She seems to be more interested in gaining notoriety for her own blog and column than she is in being part of any kind of a solution. Let's be clear - Nikki isn't FOR anyone other than herself. She is, however, very much ANTI-moguls and in many cases ANTI-Hollywood in general. There are times when it is hard to read her postings because of the injection of her own anger and venom at the subjects she is supposedly impartially covering. Given how many incorrect stories and statements she has already printed, it is always a good idea to confirm anything you read on that blog. Sometimes she's right (like the chairs incident or the attempted intervention by Katzenbert) but most of the time she's badly misunderstood what she's hearing and then winds up editing her own posts to conform with reality after she's been disproven.
Wow, no moderation in a forum - what a concept. I had recently read (on UH no less) how angry the writers were that comments on Variety were being moderated and one sided toward the AMPTP.
I also had comments deleted from UH though I never use bad language in my posts - maybe my opinions are vulgar to some, I don't know.
I am a proud third generation Teamster and though I support all labor, I disagree with WGA tactics in this strike. I have not crossed a picket line and don't plan on it soon though with six hour pickets it seems to be harder to miss than hit one.
Thanks for the space to speak freely without fear of deletion.
BTL
NOT on strike
Out of work
Gettin fed up
TB
UH, ArtfulWriter, DHD all started moderating comments when the majority of posts called out the Guild on its bullshit.
And anybody getting through the shield is, apparently, a "paid shill" for the AMPTP. In other words, if you criticize the WGA in even the slightest way, you're deleted. Or you're on Nick Counter's payroll.
Man, if I was on Counter's payroll, I wouldn't give a fuck how long the strike lasted. Unfortunately, I'm still an Entertainment Partners kind of guy.
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