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Wasted weblog
The Telegram’s online forum generates the second highest number of page views on our web site after local news, but the number of people actually posting on the forum is very low. That leads me to believe that readers going to the forum do so either out of car-wreck curiosity or for the entertainment provided by the dozen or so regulars who malign each other on a daily basis.
The problem is that the dialogue is really not very good entertainment. It’s a combination of trash talk and potty language found on a sixth grade playground. Here’s a fairly mild example:
“Frankly, I don’t think he…. By TweetiePie….. is capable of working. It is obvious by his posts here that 1) if he is posting now, he certainly isn’t working, 2) his posts show the lack of intelligence to have a PROFESSION, 3) his posts show lack of intelligence to have a TRADE, 4) his mouth RUNNETH OVER, and 5) he can’t be open-minded because if he were his brains would fall out, 6) hard work has a future payoff, but for him laziness pays off now. So where do I think he works……well, only one of two jobs come to mind: 1) He’s a Circus Freak or 2) he holds the Slow/Stop signs for a hwy. construction crew.”
That isn’t about any issue like falling test scores in the schools, teen pregnancy or even the insanity in Iraq. It’s speculation flavored by insults about what another person on the forum does for a living.
Perhaps a problem with the forum is that it allows people to use a screen name rather than their actual name. It’s easy to insult someone anonymously. There are a few people who use their real names but it doesn’t change their rant as shown by this post:
“Sweetiepie it is so funny how…. By C Dancy II - TPA….. u ignant Racist want to compare me to others just bcause we don’t think like u & your racist friends on this forum. Nope I am who I say I am & don’t use a code name. U see I am the man who don’t hide bhind a code name like u do sweetiepie.”
Our Speak Up column is also anonymous but we can only print about a tenth of the calls because of language or libel issues. Lately people on the forum have started questioning the morality of their enemies, which not only takes the forum to new lows but also has possible legal ramifications that I’m not interested in exploring so a bunch of brats can trade jabs.
And finally I don’t think the current forum is the type of discussion the Telegram should sponsor in the community. So until we can either police the forum or find a more appropriate venue to trade ideas, the message board is gone. You can post a comment here — where your IP address is logged and your message can be edited or deleted — or send me an email at rwoodin@coxnc.com.
And if you feel the need to waste some time, go read about Anna Nicole Smith.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Jesse
March 3, 2007 6:16 AM | Link to this
The only real problem I saw with the forum was that you (you being the Telegram) failed to police it as you should and now you want to blame those who frequented your forum. Simply put, you did not ban those who violated the user agreement. It’s juvenile to blame others for your failures but I do admit we all do that far too often.
I think of your approach to the problem as military basic training mentality. Somebody in the platoon screws up so the sarge punishes the entire platoon and in the real world people don’t buy into that.
You may do as you wish with your forum but don’t forget you are a large part of the problem.
By Ken Pledger
March 3, 2007 6:44 AM | Link to this
Hijacking posts. The Telegram is owned by Cox Newspapers which also owns the Greenville Daily Reflector.
The major problem with the Rocky Mount discussion board was that one person tried from the inception to run others off—there were many complaints back then. Recently one person has hijacked other peoples’ good hearted discussions or discussions of local interest— to bring in hate, disruption and interfering with other posters intended discussions.
Granted there will be unwelcome posts at times. However, just this week, after the Telegram shutdown, that same person has gone into the Reflector posts to hijack other posts. One in point: yawn/stretch— a good hearted post to which he brings his ‘stalking’ and harrassment into play—and with his intention of interfereing with other posts.
The Telegram and Reflector should ban the one causing the problems.. not the others..
Publisher’s note: This comment was edited to remove the name of one person.
So, are the Telegram and the Reflector going to allow one person to control and ‘moderate’ the forums at his whim and at the expense of others…
Stalking is stalking… period… online stalking… and posting to interfere using that stalking was supposed to be grounds for being barred according to the online rules.
does dictate to Cox Newspapers how to moderate discussio forums?
By Robert Cressionnie
March 4, 2007 8:34 AM | Link to this
Penalizing everyone for the actions of a few is not the optimum solution. With the software and technology available today, it’s a simple process to control a forum. Establishing a few moderators with the ability to warn and ban individuals would have gone a long way.
I also like the suggestion of having to post with a real name. Email address should always be optional because they will be gathered and sold for use with mass junk mailings (I expect to get more junk mail from posting here).
The forum was a wonderful medium for discussion ruined by a few annoying individuals.
Thanks for hosting it while you did, and I’m sorry to see it go.
By David McGowan
March 5, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
Being you shut down the message board that “…generates the second highest number of page views on our web site after local news”, I expect the Rocky Mount Telegram will be reducing its advertising rates accordingly.
By Bonnie
March 6, 2007 5:36 AM | Link to this
I signed on for the first time this morning. Have I missed something? I was looking for responses to specific articles and issues; where are they? I feel for the person who says they have provided information and leads to other stories in the past because that sort of civic involvement is golden.
Publisher’s note: Please read my last blog entry.
By E Blome
March 7, 2007 9:38 AM | Link to this
“And finally, I don’t think the current forum is the type of discussion the Telegram should sponsor in the community.”
Rip- I never participated as I don’t live there. Wouldn’t if I had. The real question is why did it take you several years to realize this? How many Ann Coulter like offensive comments did you let slide? Take responsibility for this horrendous forum that made a laughing stock of your town. You put it there. You left it there. You controlled everything. As usual.
How many African Americans were involved in this decision? How mixed is your editorial staff?
By ron
March 7, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this
I think you all are again missing the point of why the forum was discontinued. Insults. Not really about racism or racist comments but “INSULTS” and “trash talking”.
Radical views on race are simply a part of society but I don’t think that was Rip’s problem with the forum. You can have radical racial viewpoints without “insulting” people and making personal attacks. Everyone is blaming the so-called racists but remember whenever one forum participant made a comment there were 10 personal attacks coming back at him. So, most of you are part of the problem.
You can have your views about other races but when you make “personal attacks” then that’s when the abuse comes in. This is a forum for talking about issues; not personal attacks and name-calling. I think the comment about the advertising rate is one that would lead me to believe that the forum will be back and when it does let’s try to limit not “what we say” but “how we say it” and consider the words we use to insult other people.
The forum, I agree, is not for talking about “news” related issues. Even talking about “memories of Rocky Mount” is not really appropriate. But Rip, “car wreck” news is news; I think the Telegram does talk about car wrecks from time-to-time; don’t they?
By E Blome
March 8, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this
Not sure why all of the people on the forum always talked about “race” anyway. I never participated or posted. But I did read it from afar with curiosity.
Dr. King would have liked to see more talk about Peace and Justice and Equality. But not “Race”.
Perhaps Rip can lead the way.
By Bob-bsf
March 13, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this
What about this site?
http://atk-hairy.erw1r.info
Publisher’s note: Not sure what you mean. I can’t get to this site.