BritCaster forum bye-bye
Published by on December 2nd, 2006
So the announcement I’ve been waiting to make for about six months now finally went out tonight: we’re closing the BritCaster forums. The discussions will remain available for a couple of weeks to give people a chance to discuss new ideas, create possible new collaborations, and, sadly, also let off more negative steam at us for dropping everything when the going got tough.
I’ve posted about BritCaster related problems a good few times here, so based on the comments received this evening after the announcement, few people are surprised at this decision.
When I created the forums (an extension of the same whim which led to BritCaster itself being created), the UK podcasting scene was a very different place, filled with hope, excitement, genuine positive passion and a bunch of individuals exploring new ground. 18 months later and the value that the forums have to offer the community has steadily declined while the day to day workload consisting of spam deletion and attempts to defend against the negative comments - ranging from bitchy side-swipes to direct abuse - have dramatically increased. Jen and I have more productive things to do than spend time trying to clean up the mess.
The question I’ve been asked several times already in the past few hours is, why not hand the management of the forum over to someone else?
The answer is that the UK podcast ‘community’ needs something fresh, something untainted with the old school grass roots UK podcasters. Something run by and reflecting some of the newer positive energies who have appeared over the past 6-10 months or so. The visibility of BritCaster has inhibited a number of possible community activities by other UK individuals - I know this because they’ve told me. So my hope is that this news will act as the cleansing fire to clear the ground for new and inspiring growth. If it doesn’t achieve that, then the grass roots podcasting space in the UK is in a very sorry state indeed. I’d love to see some real collaborated effort put into new community ideas - not just half-hearted attempts at yet more innaccurate and unmaintained directories, or podcast listings, or blogs (the modern day cop-out of the desperate and unimaginative web pseudo-entrepreneur). There are web developers in the UK community with the skills and ability to create something new and original and show the rest of the podcasting world that we are still ahead of the game at the independent level. I still have a bunch of ideas along these lines stacked up in notebooks, just not the time to create them. There must be others.
Tonight has been a wonderful night personally. A weight has been lifted, one that’s been waiting to lift for far too long. Change is good and necessary. We’ve done our bit, given many hours of personal and professional time over the past year and a half, most of which has been worthwhile. If you’re involved in the UK podcasting scene, it’s now your turn to do something; or sit idly by.
To the well wishers who have supported our efforts and expressed understanding at this decision, our sincere thanks - some of the comments have been quite touching. To those who, to whatever extent, consciously helped to perpetuate the negativity since the forum’s creation, recline with a celebratory drink then please feel free to go stick your head(s) in a pig.
[tags]britcaster,podcasting,community[/tags]
14 Responses to “BritCaster forum bye-bye”
December 2nd, 2006 at 4:09 am
Man, that’s a shame. Will you archive the forums or something? - there’s a ton of content in there. A living history of the birth of British podcasting…
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:12 pm
[...] Neil says: When I created the forums (an extension of the same whim which led to BritCaster itself being created), the UK podcasting scene was a very different place, filled with hope, excitement, genuine positive passion and a bunch of individuals exploring new ground. 18 months later and the value that the forums have to offer the community has steadily declined… the UK podcast ‘community’ needs something fresh, something untainted with the old school grass roots UK podcasters. Something run by and reflecting some of the newer positive energies who have appeared over the past 6-10 months or so. [...]
December 3rd, 2006 at 3:23 am
Thank you, Steve. We ran weekly backups of the forum structure and content, so all will be preserved. I’m looking at the possibility of preventing new registrations while allowing existing/past members (and only members) exclusive access to all the content for a while as a reference resource.
I have some predictions as to what will happen within the community now, which I’m not going to post here just yet, though I might pop you an email on it.
If anyone else is interested in that, mail me.
December 4th, 2006 at 12:48 am
It won’t die Neil, the community that is. It’s too vibrant.
I’m sorry if you ever thought I was one of the negative ones, I have always been the most vocal about community and the need for a place to talk.
I was, in fact one of the very first Britcatser members and had even purchased podpub.org 2years ago for the sake of getting people talking - but you and Jen did a great job and it was never necessary to use the url.
Why not allow Britcaster to continue - just hand it over to someone else? I’ll pay the admin costs. I don’t want fame, fortune or notoriety - I never have wanted it either and am one of the independent ones left who thinks one forum is what is necessary.
Anyway, whatever decision you make - thanks for helping to create a place where we could all hang out - just think carefully before allowing it to evaporate.
December 4th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Paul, although you and I clashed with opposing views once (or twice) you’ve never been deliberately antagonistic or got even close to the behaviour of some on the forums. Just passionate opposing viewpoints.
They have to go - there needs to be a clean break from the name and from the people running the site. However, the content will remain online to ensure that the content is there for all to search and use and ensure that the countless incoming links do not break all aroud the web. This has been the request of enough regular users that we have decided to do this. I hope is becomes an important record of the early stages of UK podcasting and not a memorial!
So many time, particularly in the past 6-8 months, I’ve heard ‘others are talking about setting up another forum” which was always uttered with a less than veiled threatening tone. Each time that puzzled me as I have always maintained that there needs to be more UK focused podcast stuff than Britcaster around. It’s a shame that such drastic measures have been necessary to get people motivated. At least, finally, there’s some energy whizzing around!
Right now we are seeing the community re-forming in two locations - some people are suggesting factions, but that’s just rediculous, though say something enough and everyone starts to believe it is true. People will have to find their feet again, everything is new and there may be difficult times ahead, but at last the community can decide where to place its trust and loyalties, not simply opt for the only viable location. Individuals can decide whether they will build new or repair old relationships or revert to the behaviour and attitudes which picked away at the usefulness of the BritCaster forums.
The people running each fledgeling community are all adults (well, mostly), so they can handle what they have got themselves into. It will be fascinating to watch, for the first time without direct emotional involvement.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:28 am
cool, thank goodness for that Neil, though I am genuinely sad at the demise of BC. It’s like seeing a lovely old auntie fade away into the ether.
Just make sure you’re still round on the forums eh?!
December 5th, 2006 at 10:09 am
Comment:
Thanks, Neil. That was helpful and informative, particularly the following part, which I think explains the reason for ending the forum rather than just handing it over:
“The visibility of BritCaster has inhibited a number of possible community activities by other UK individuals - I know this because they’ve told me. So my hope is that this news will act as the cleansing fire to clear the ground for new and inspiring growth.”
My thanks to you and Jen for the hard work in creating an excellent community. I hope one day we do get to meet.
GABOR
December 5th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Neil (& Jen)
I just wanted to say that I think you guys did a great job and I’m really going to miss the Britcaster forum. I’ve never been much of a fan of Internet forums and Britcaster is probably the only one I visited and contributed to on a regular basis.
So I, for one, will be very sad to see it go.
Anyway, good luck for the future and no doubt we will stay in touch.
Peace
Mike O
December 5th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
[...] Neil Dixon the man behind Britcaster had finally decided to close the forum when the daily workload of spam deletion and attempts to defend against the negative comments significantly increased over the real values of the forum that Neil wants to instil among its members. On the other side, the UK Podcasters Association has jumped in to fill the breach.Tags: Podcasting, Podcasting Forum, UK Podcasters, Podcasting Community [...]
December 6th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
As a podcaster of 18 months yourself, Neil, do you include yourself in this description?
“The answer is that the UK podcast ‘community’ needs something fresh, something untainted with the old school grass roots UK podcasters. Something run by and reflecting some of the newer positive energies who have appeared over the past 6-10 months or so.”
December 6th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
“…half-hearted attempts at yet more innaccurate and unmaintained directories, or podcast listings, or blogs (the modern day cop-out of the desperate and unimaginative web pseudo-entrepreneur)…”
Wow. You really think it’s as bad as that? I don’t see it that way. There’s always flotsama and jetsam, and froth on the tidal waves.. I think it was a brave decision you made to stop, and if it restores your creative life to you, then it will pay you back in spades.
December 6th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Mark: Time some of the early adopters to stop worrying about ‘the good old days’ and start looking forward, hopefully dragged up to speed by new energies that right now have the breathing room to do something positive. As someone who created a multiple feed aggregator for UK podcasts (not another directory) right on those early days and have been stryving for new ideas ever since, no, I don’t. (Edited because I didn’t read the comment properly the first time)
Dean/Deek: A lot of people fall into the trap of simply replicating what is and what was with no attempt at anything different. Lack of imagination and lack of creativity stunts genuine progress and growth. There’s still a load of new ground yet untrod, but each step is a risk - much easier to stay in the comfort zone perhaps.
December 7th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Blimey Neil and Jen, you’ve certainly had more than your fair share of crap doing this haven’t you?
We’ve clashed I know, but not personally and as much as I would liked to have given a few people ‘a strong word in their shell like’ you seem to have been on the receiving end of far more than my ocassional visits ever understood.
So I would say. You’ve done the right thing. Let it go, close the door and look forward to doing whatever fun creative stuff you want to and don’t worry about it. I bet it will be a weight off your shoulders and you can stand back and have a titter at whatever threads you read.
Both your efforts have been appreciated and respected by many, so give yourselves a break and enjoy whatever next comes your way.
I suspect the ‘playground’ will always be there when(if) you ever want jump right back in
December 8th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Thank you, Bob.
A rest away from it all will be good healing - already is in fact. Though I’ll likely not be as active in the new communities mainly because I don’t want to get too wrapped up in things again, but also, with my PodShow work, I find I am am dealing day to day with more producers who are not visibly part of the ‘community’ than those who are a part of it. It has given me a much broader perspective on the whole UK scene.