Feb 3, 2016, 1:55 pm
Last edit by: SkiAdcock
Should the Travel News forum remain open as its own standalone forum?
Here is the Travel News forum. Should it remain open; or should it be closed? Please post objective reasons for either position below.
Keep the Travel News Forum Open
It provides a place where only news linked to other sources can be posted.
Travel News serves a different function than other forums. It is for news articles that can be quickly perused & not buried in other forums. TravelBuzz, for example, has topics such as 'should the spouse get the upgrade' & discussions re: that. Travel News has links to articles of interest that may or may not get commentary, but does get a lot of views so obviously of interest to FTers. Just as some will read articles in the NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, USAToday because the articles are of interest but not comment. That doesn't mean the articles have no value. They're easier to find in Travel News.
Close/Merge the Travel News Forum
It is redundant; and discussions posted in it are best served when residing in other forums on FlyerTalk — such as TravelBuzz, for example.
It is obsolete due to improved technology which has emerged over the years, allowing news pertaining to travel to be easily obtained elsewhere.
It is not at all clear what types of posts belong in it.
Travel News made a lot more sense before FT had a forum for any and every thing travel related. But now FT does and Travel News is out of step with how FlyerTalk is currently organized.
Here is the Travel News forum. Should it remain open; or should it be closed? Please post objective reasons for either position below.
Keep the Travel News Forum Open
It provides a place where only news linked to other sources can be posted.
Travel News serves a different function than other forums. It is for news articles that can be quickly perused & not buried in other forums. TravelBuzz, for example, has topics such as 'should the spouse get the upgrade' & discussions re: that. Travel News has links to articles of interest that may or may not get commentary, but does get a lot of views so obviously of interest to FTers. Just as some will read articles in the NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, USAToday because the articles are of interest but not comment. That doesn't mean the articles have no value. They're easier to find in Travel News.
Close/Merge the Travel News Forum
It is redundant; and discussions posted in it are best served when residing in other forums on FlyerTalk — such as TravelBuzz, for example.
It is obsolete due to improved technology which has emerged over the years, allowing news pertaining to travel to be easily obtained elsewhere.
It is not at all clear what types of posts belong in it.
Travel News made a lot more sense before FT had a forum for any and every thing travel related. But now FT does and Travel News is out of step with how FlyerTalk is currently organized.
Travel News Forum: close, re-purpose or merge with TravelBuzz?
May 28, 2015, 10:19 pm
#136
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...
I am not comfortable with the notion that moderators should have an outweighed say in how FlyerTalk is organized. Never have been
...
Further, I strongly believe that a transparent conversation is superior to a back room conversation and deal.
...
So yes, many thanks to the hard working mods. But they are not the deciders. The posters are (including the mods).
I am not comfortable with the notion that moderators should have an outweighed say in how FlyerTalk is organized. Never have been
...
Further, I strongly believe that a transparent conversation is superior to a back room conversation and deal.
...
So yes, many thanks to the hard working mods. But they are not the deciders. The posters are (including the mods).
Now if you are so big on transparency, how about getting more Talkboard members to participate in this thread
And again, I don't believe you've addressed the issue as to why you titled this thread the way you did as in its current form, it implies an agenda as opposed to a neutral title such as "Should the Travel News forum be closed?"
May 28, 2015, 10:34 pm
#137
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May 28, 2015, 11:26 pm
#138
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I am indeed pleased to continue to steward Travel News, and glad that many find it a valuable place to post, link, to and spark thoughtful discussion of general travel news stories
May 29, 2015, 4:08 am
#139
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
I can only repeat what I posted less than 2 years ago when this was discussed.
Travel News is almost a daily stop off for me, as is Travel Buzz, and I would say they are two altogether unique areas with differing content.
and
Sceptics or those with no interest can ignore it. The FT front page won't become any easier to navigate with one less entry. Removing it has no real benefit to the sceptics but has a real loss to the users/readers.
I expect, and get, a different type of topic on Travelbuzz. I expect News in the appropriate forum where it is just now.
Travel News is almost a daily stop off for me, as is Travel Buzz, and I would say they are two altogether unique areas with differing content.
and
Sceptics or those with no interest can ignore it. The FT front page won't become any easier to navigate with one less entry. Removing it has no real benefit to the sceptics but has a real loss to the users/readers.
I expect, and get, a different type of topic on Travelbuzz. I expect News in the appropriate forum where it is just now.
May 29, 2015, 4:40 am
#140
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Perhaps some on TB should propose a motion to eliminate the private forum or amend the TB guidelines that as part of a TB member's responsibilities, they must engage in discussion in each thread here.
May 29, 2015, 7:56 am
#141
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Sceptics
I expect, and get, a different type of topic on Travelbuzz. I expect News in the appropriate forum where it is just now.
Other news and current events are also regularly discussed in Travel Buzz.
Which is why it makes no sense to have both forums.
The differences are negligible: TN has to start with a link to an article when discussing current events. That's a formatting difference, not a substantive difference. And TN is smaller and less participated in.
Again, are there any other differences that I am missing?
May 29, 2015, 8:05 am
#142
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Originally Posted by goalie
And again, I don't believe you've addressed the issue as to why you titled this thread the way you did as in its current form, it implies an agenda as opposed to a neutral title such as "Should the Travel News forum be closed?"
So yes I do have an agenda: to let posters catch up on the travel buzz with one click instead of two.
May 29, 2015, 8:14 am
#143
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My understanding is that the role of moderators is to implement the policies defined by IB through the Community Director and the long-established conventions of Flyertalk. While moderators must apply judgment in how they execute their duties, if the TB specifically recommends something and the Community Director approves, the moderators will go along.
I do agree, however, that moderators should be consulted if a significant change is going to affect the forums that they moderate. Anything which affects their workload should be discussed with them. Fortunately, it seems that Canarsie has undertaken the duty of advising them of this thread.
From a non-moderator, non-TB member perspective, after having read the discussion thus far, my inclination is to merge the two forums. I do follow the Travel Buzz forum, but not the Travel News forum. There just doesn't seem to be enough content in the Travel News forum for me to regularly go into it. That said, there are threads which I would read if they appeared in the Travel Buzz forum.
I do agree, however, that moderators should be consulted if a significant change is going to affect the forums that they moderate. Anything which affects their workload should be discussed with them. Fortunately, it seems that Canarsie has undertaken the duty of advising them of this thread.
From a non-moderator, non-TB member perspective, after having read the discussion thus far, my inclination is to merge the two forums. I do follow the Travel Buzz forum, but not the Travel News forum. There just doesn't seem to be enough content in the Travel News forum for me to regularly go into it. That said, there are threads which I would read if they appeared in the Travel Buzz forum.
May 29, 2015, 9:15 am
#144
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Well stated kokonutz!
We moderators are members first and should have no more or less influence on the decision to keep a forum open or closed (unless we are also the Community Director or a member of Talkboard!).
Moderators know about this forum and are free to make their opinions known in this forum.
I am confident that the TravelBuzz Moderators would be able to moderate effectively if the TN forum were closed and threads moved to TB. If the workload is too heavy, sure they would reach out to the Community Director for more resources.
I do find tremendous overlap in these two forums and believe TN should be closed. To me, this would be like having two forums for United: One for MileagePlus program and one for United News in general. It would make no sense in that case... and I believe the same is true for TN and TB.
We moderators are members first and should have no more or less influence on the decision to keep a forum open or closed (unless we are also the Community Director or a member of Talkboard!).
Moderators know about this forum and are free to make their opinions known in this forum.
I am confident that the TravelBuzz Moderators would be able to moderate effectively if the TN forum were closed and threads moved to TB. If the workload is too heavy, sure they would reach out to the Community Director for more resources.
I do find tremendous overlap in these two forums and believe TN should be closed. To me, this would be like having two forums for United: One for MileagePlus program and one for United News in general. It would make no sense in that case... and I believe the same is true for TN and TB.
Why should moderators opinions matter more than other FlyerTalkers opinions?
We are all posters first and foremost.
I am not comfortable with the notion that moderators should have an outweighed say in how FlyerTalk is organized. Never have.
We are all volunteers. If someone doesn't like a decision he or she is free to leave. There are lots of volunteers ready to take our places.
So I value the opinion of mods as much as I value the opinion of any poster.
To me the only question is: what is in the best interest of the posters. In this case I obviously believe that one TravelBuzz is better than an Travel Buzz plus a redundant mini-Travel Buzz.
Further, I strongly believe that a transparent conversation is superior to a back room conversation and deal.
So yes, many thanks to the hard working mods. But they are not the deciders. The posters are (including the mods).
We are all posters first and foremost.
I am not comfortable with the notion that moderators should have an outweighed say in how FlyerTalk is organized. Never have.
We are all volunteers. If someone doesn't like a decision he or she is free to leave. There are lots of volunteers ready to take our places.
So I value the opinion of mods as much as I value the opinion of any poster.
To me the only question is: what is in the best interest of the posters. In this case I obviously believe that one TravelBuzz is better than an Travel Buzz plus a redundant mini-Travel Buzz.
Further, I strongly believe that a transparent conversation is superior to a back room conversation and deal.
So yes, many thanks to the hard working mods. But they are not the deciders. The posters are (including the mods).
May 29, 2015, 10:11 am
#145
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So yes I do have an agenda: to let posters catch up on the travel buzz with one click instead of two.
Now with that, regardless of whether one has an agenda or not, a proposal for a motion should be "gender neutral" and the title of this thread implies the opposite and frankly, if you do not have a gender neutral subject, you're gonna pi$$ folks off as it implies that you're not thinking of the membership as a whole but rather your own personal views and TB members do not solely represent themselves but represent ALL members of FT
May 29, 2015, 10:54 am
#146
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Simple: because I am frustrated that I have to check two forums to keep abreast of travel current events on FlyerTalk rather than one. Frustrated by the redundancy (especially when checking FT on my iPhone in a country with slow data) and frustrated by the TB's seeming inability to address that redundancy after several attempts.
May 29, 2015, 11:06 am
#147
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In the last two years you have posted in one thread in Travel Buzz. If you're just reading Travel News and Travel Buzz and not actively participating in either of them, I don't see why it's such a hardship to click to change forums. If that's the basis for wanting to eliminate Travel News (extra clicks), I think you need to come up with a better argument.
May 29, 2015, 11:06 am
#148
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And I now see that the OP has changed the title of their opening post from the the original thread title of "Travel News. This time let's put it out of its misery" to "Travel News is Redundant. It should be re-purposed or closed" (tho the original thread title remains) but that is also not "gender neutral" and still implies an agenda of one person by using the word "should" and does not reflect what is best for FT as a community
May 29, 2015, 11:21 am
#149
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But from your post here, you imply that you don't have an agenda so which is it????
Now with that, regardless of whether one has an agenda or not, a proposal for a motion should be "gender neutral" and the title of this thread implies the opposite and frankly, if you do not have a gender neutral subject, you're gonna pi$$ folks off as it implies that you're not thinking of the membership as a whole but rather your own personal views and TB members do not solely represent themselves but represent ALL members of FT
Now with that, regardless of whether one has an agenda or not, a proposal for a motion should be "gender neutral" and the title of this thread implies the opposite and frankly, if you do not have a gender neutral subject, you're gonna pi$$ folks off as it implies that you're not thinking of the membership as a whole but rather your own personal views and TB members do not solely represent themselves but represent ALL members of FT
What I don't have is a hidden agenda! And the implication that I do is both petty and annoying. But mostly it's ridiculous: no one has ever accused me of not speaking my mind. When I have an agenda, the world tends to know about it.
Anyway, that said, for the sake of order, let's be clear: this thread is not about me. Nor is it about Information Desk. Nor is it about moderators vs. TB vs. posters. Those are all distractions.
This thread is about the fact that TN is redundant to TB with far lower volume. It forces posters to click on two forums rather than one to keep up with travel current events and discussions. That's annoying and reduces the quality of the user experience. So I will say it again: at long last let's put TN down. Humanely. But put it down nonetheless.
May 29, 2015, 11:57 am
#150
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I don't find it annoying nor does it reduce my user experience. It's no different than my clicking between UA, AA, or any of a dozen other forums I follow. I just don't buy into the argument that the user experience deteriorates due to extra clicks.