News Department Feedback 2k13

[Samantha]

It wasn't done when either of you were managers, otherwise I wouldn't have continued to discuss it. Tom even said that he never got around to actually doing it properly, and from your responses I can see that you somehow don't understand what it was that was meant to be done anyway despite it being an extremely simple premise. If it was a rule then everyone would have been fired without exception

Oh wasn't it?

I was manager from 13th October to 10th December 2013.

:Celery, Samanfa, Emily, TraidKelly, MasterNicoAngel and BigTimeRyan all linked to their articles (if there was a thread on the forum) throughout that time. The only ones who didn't were Descendable and -:Undertaker:- (who now posts it on the forum anyway).

They did link to the articles posted on the forum, so it was being done. Recently it hasn't as much, but I've seen Mike at least linking to them too. So I really don't know where you're getting it from as it was done.

[Inseriousity.]

That's more because there is still very little to advertise - the article in my sig was advertised on the forum though, rhys badge guides get posted on news and forum, dan's weekly article - and it's about building that portfolio up so that there are more opportunities to advertise. Naturally most people get a bit annoyed at someone posting a link to an article in a news thread that's already been up for 2-3 days so advertising habbo news seems futile unless it's y'know actual news, better to focus advertising on the more abstract articles.

[FlyingJesus]

Oh wasn't it?

I was manager from 13th October to 10th December 2013.

:Celery, Samanfa, Emily, TraidKelly, MasterNicoAngel and BigTimeRyan all linked to their articles (if there was a thread on the forum) throughout that time. The only ones who didn't were Descendable and -:Undertaker:- (who now posts it on the forum anyway).

They did link to the articles posted on the forum, so it was being done. Recently it hasn't as much, but I've seen Mike at least linking to them too. So I really don't know where you're getting it from as it was done.

What you're telling me is that your staff were so slow that discussions had already sprung up on absolutely everything that they reported on (since they never made new threads about their articles, one can assume that threads already existed every time) and instead of tackling this you just got them to post a link in the thread telling people that they could go read the news that they'd already read. Not only is that not forum integration working, but it's further proof that the news department is outdated and unnecessary. Also you literally at the end there say that it isn't being done then claim that one possibly two people doing it sometimes means it's been implemented fully and is a rule. The whole thing is a joke and I don't know why you're so unable to admit to what a flop it is

[Samantha]

What you're telling me is that your staff were so slow that discussions had already sprung up on absolutely everything that they reported on (since they never made new threads about their articles, one can assume that threads already existed every time) and instead of tackling this you just got them to post a link in the thread telling people that they could go read the news that they'd already read. Not only is that not forum integration working, but it's further proof that the news department is outdated and unnecessary. Also you literally at the end there say that it isn't being done then claim that one possibly two people doing it sometimes means it's been implemented fully and is a rule. The whole thing is a joke and I don't know why you're so unable to admit to what a flop it is

There is a total of 1 link to a forum thread on the entire first page of news. You did not implement it.

I think you need to decide whether you want linking to the forum or not, there have been a lot of articles posted before the news and rumours thread and you only need to go back into 2013 at some points to find that out. We linked for months and somehow that's not good enough? I'm sorry, but I can't help it if we can't integrate it more when I'm told we can't; I can't help it when we have been asking for guest commenting to increase that community feel since 2011 (and we were told we could have it... still waiting).

News is/was a good department, it can improve, more unique reports would be amazing as well as a variety of reports about actual news which is needed. However, like I said before I was against it being on the forum, but my opinion has changed and I agree it should be to an extent (got told no as I said too).

I've spoken to Matt about news and what happens next, and we will continue to do so until an idea that will work is done.

[FlyingJesus]

I think you need to decide whether you want linking to the forum or not

Yes if the reporters are going to actually be able to report news because they're not 2 days behind everyone else. If not, there's no point in the role at all

We linked for months and somehow that's not good enough? I'm sorry, but I can't help it if we can't integrate it more when I'm told we can't; I can't help it when we have been asking for guest commenting to increase that community feel since 2011 (and we were told we could have it... still waiting).

So you're finally admitting that you didn't do it, that's a step. Guest commenting wouldn't help at all since the idea is to bring the community together rather than splitting it apart, that's the entire point. On-site commenting as a whole needs to go so that discussions take place in one spot rather than fragmented around the place

News is/was a good department, it can improve, more unique reports would be amazing as well as a variety of reports about actual news which is needed. However, like I said before I was against it being on the forum, but my opinion has changed and I agree it should be to an extent (got told no as I said too).

Yet to give any proof that it's a good or worthwhile department. Of course it can improve, but you need to actually do something about it rather than just grasping desperately to a management role that you're not fulfilling and repeating yourself with empty words

[Samantha]

Yes if the reporters are going to actually be able to report news because they're not 2 days behind everyone else. If not, there's no point in the role at all



So you're finally admitting that you didn't do it, that's a step. Guest commenting wouldn't help at all since the idea is to bring the community together rather than splitting it apart, that's the entire point. On-site commenting as a whole needs to go so that discussions take place in one spot rather than fragmented around the place



Yet to give any proof that it's a good or worthwhile department. Of course it can improve, but you need to actually do something about it rather than just grasping desperately to a management role that you're not fulfilling and repeating yourself with empty words

1. I agree, timing is key in the department.
2. No, we did do it to a point threads were posted after the reports in some cases (more when I was normal staff/busier Habbo periods) and reports were linked to the forum. However, that was the only thing we did (I'll admit that as it is true), although that's not from lack of trying to get more sometimes.
3. I'm not even the AGM for News - that's Skynus and I'm more helping out and deciding what to do due to experience. However, if the department could be done elsewhere i.e. content, guides etc. I'm all for it and I've spoke to Matt about this as well.

[Martin]

I hate to bump old threads, but what exactly is going on with the News Department right now? Everything seems to have gone extremely quiet, and I'm worried we're going to have another V7 situation where it takes years before something is done. Surely it doesn't take months to make these changes?

Whilst time is ticking by, more and more people are being directed to visit out sites through advertising and quite frankly what they are being presented with is disgusting, outdated and embarrassing.



Are news articles not even being checked anymore? The last article written was on May 14th so nearly a WEEK AGO. I've just glanced over it and found several visible errors, even the bloody title has a spelling error that nobody has picked up on!



This thread highlighting problems within the department was created at the end of LAST YEAR, and things are still the same if not WORSE as they were before.


Important News is still being completely missed out

You have more staff, yet the results are not being seen

Nobody is checking articles for basic spelling mistakes, to help news reporters improve and grow and to keep the site looking professional

There doesn't seem to be much advertising or promotion of anything news related

There is a mix-match of styles and at times the front page looks absolutely awful

A lot of the articles are VERY fact based, with little or no opinion or personalisation put into them. Sure news is about writing the facts, but I find it is more interesting to read when a unique style has been used to write it, and a more investigative approach could be used.

Lack of Competitions or things to get people to the front page

Lack of big featured articles, which could spark discussion etc.


The subsections of news (Room Reviews, Interviews, Real Life etc) really need looking at and whether its worth wasting time doing these if a) they are not being advertised, and b) time could be spend keeping the front page up to date instead of being outdated by weeks. There has only been 1 room review in like 8 months despite there being a stickied thread advertising for people to submit their rooms on the forum.


There are (and were) a couple of reporters in that department who showed really promising work and whose articles were enjoyable to read, but I just feel like a whole bunch of other things and lack of direction is letting it down.



The most obvious reply to this will be "We are working on so and so" but hasn't this been the case for weeks/months now? We are advertising people to visit habbox.com on the client and when they get there, they're seeing stuff which could be written so much better, could be checked for quality, could be reporting on stuff that is actually happening at the time. Timing is a crucial factor in news and when stuff starts to get missed it sets out a very bad impression of a fansite.



I believe a News Team Leader was appointed around a month ago, so I'm guessing talks are still ongoing etc, but surely with staff and management who are capable of writing articles to keep at least the front page up to date things should have seen an improvement already? Or at the very least those articles that are written should be checked?!


Has the whole reporting news on the forum thing been dismissed altogether? Is News and Content Merging? (Again?!) I hope all of your news staff stay enthusiastic and are enjoying their time within the department because from an outside point of view things are looking very stale.


Basically I just want to know what's going on, why there is such a delay and whether we will see improvements any time soon?




--


but ye I haven't got time to go into too much detail, but read the first post and the replies in this thread and stuff!!

[lawrawrrr]

I hate to bump old threads, but what exactly is going on with the News Department right now? Everything seems to have gone extremely quiet, and I'm worried we're going to have another V7 situation where it takes years before something is done. Surely it doesn't take months to make these changes?

Whilst time is ticking by, more and more people are being directed to visit out sites through advertising and quite frankly what they are being presented with is disgusting, outdated and embarrassing.

Actually, due to MANY different proposals being made with MANY objections each time and unfortunate resignings ******* up all the plans, it HAS taken months. I am literally right now writing what I think should be the final plan up to Drew now and we'll discuss it.

Oh, like it has been for the last year then?

Are news articles not even being checked anymore? The last article written was on May 14th so nearly a WEEK AGO. I've just glanced over it and found several visible errors, even the bloody title has a spelling error that nobody has picked up on!

This thread highlighting problems within the department was created at the end of LAST YEAR, and things are still the same if not WORSE as they were before.

I've been away since Thursday, limited before then too. They're not worse, they're the SAME problems.

Important News is still being completely missed out

I just can't see why this MATTERS as people don't READ the front page news on Habbox anyway, they get it from the Forum. THAT'S why we're changing it to what people WANT to read.

You have more staff, yet the results are not being seen

..no

Nobody is checking articles for basic spelling mistakes, to help news reporters improve and grow and to keep the site looking professional

So sorry for having a life.

There doesn't seem to be much advertising or promotion of anything news related

That's because there isn't much news related. I don't have the time to be running Habbo competitions, quests or anything, everything else the News dept offers (room reviews and interviews etc) have been offered to multiple people, just because noone's been in contact with you, doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

There is a mix-match of styles and at times the front page looks absolutely awful

A lot of the articles are VERY fact based, with little or no opinion or personalisation put into them. Sure news is about writing the facts, but I find it is more interesting to read when a unique style has been used to write it, and a more investigative approach could be used.

Lack of Competitions or things to get people to the front page

Lack of big featured articles, which could spark discussion etc.

I don't even know what to type. Yes, they don't match. I haven't had time to read through them, I honestly don't know what Drew's done but I think there was some confusion over the role responsibilites. Lack of competitions and featured articles come down to reporters I'm afraid, we wouldn't stop them, but neither can we force them.

The subsections of news (Room Reviews, Interviews, Real Life etc) really need looking at and whether its worth wasting time doing these if a) they are not being advertised, and b) time could be spend keeping the front page up to date instead of being outdated by weeks. There has only been 1 room review in like 8 months despite there being a stickied thread advertising for people to submit their rooms on the forum.

Already looked through this all, and it's in the new plan.

There are (and were) a couple of reporters in that department who showed really promising work and whose articles were enjoyable to read, but I just feel like a whole bunch of other things and lack of direction is letting it down.

And a lot of them chose to resign. Again, we can't force them to stay. Yes, if we could implement a new plan right now (well, 2 months ago when I first wrote it), that'd be fantastic but... we can't force people to join, and I don't think many people will whatever we do (yay pessimism)

The most obvious reply to this will be "We are working on so and so" but hasn't this been the case for weeks/months now? We are advertising people to visit habbox.com on the client and when they get there, they're seeing stuff which could be written so much better, could be checked for quality, could be reporting on stuff that is actually happening at the time. Timing is a crucial factor in news and when stuff starts to get missed it sets out a very bad impression of a fansite.

Like I said, due to a series of unfortunate circumstances & timings, and taking into consideration what people have said (despite popular belief), we've had to rework the plan many times. We had to wait almost 3 weeks for Sulake to reply to us, then staff... well... revolted against me, so I had a bit of a break and went right back to it. Got a News Team Leader and we've been discussing it since. We had to wait a week before I got a technical answer about something which formed the MAIN part of the plan, then recursion-chippiewillgate happened, and we got delayed again. For all you cynics out there, let me assure you that I constantly think about News and what we can do, and none of this is MY FAULT, and I'm fed up of being treated like it is.

I believe a News Team Leader was appointed around a month ago, so I'm guessing talks are still ongoing etc, but surely with staff and management who are capable of writing articles to keep at least the front page up to date things should have seen an improvement already? Or at the very least those articles that are written should be checked?!

I think I've explained this above.

Has the whole reporting news on the forum thing been dismissed altogether? Is News and Content Merging? (Again?!) I hope all of your news staff stay enthusiastic and are enjoying their time within the department because from an outside point of view things are looking very stale.

NEWS IS POSTED ON THE FORUM why does anyone think this is a good idea when non-news staff members constantly post things before we can get hold of them?

In the original plan, I was attempting a merge, but not in the way it was done before. Due to the manager at the time (Jacob)'s resignation, I've recently decided against this. That's why we had a News Team Leader, but I will be looking to merge this into the manager of the reformed department.

Basically I just want to know what's going on, why there is such a delay and whether we will see improvements any time soon?

Over the bank holiday weekend.

[dbgtz]

Why would you not check spelling mistakes. They're guaranteed to be there and it would only like someone a few minutes...

Not saying news should stick around, it's an awful department. One thing I never understood is why HxL never presented any news. Go on a lot of radio stations in the day and there will be news about once an hour or so. News should be merged with HxL.

[FlyingJesus]

As usual Laura goes on the attack and makes excuses for her complete lack of work rather than actually acknowledge (let alone sort out) the problems that have been facing her since before she even had this role, and attempts to defend the news team while in the very same post points out how useless and unnecessary they are

And the problems are worse, if you seriously think that going full weeks without any news being posted is "the same problem" that you inherited then you obviously didn't pay much attention when it was solely your department. If you have too much of a life (lol) to do your job then quit it and let someone take charge who will actually do something other than post themselves away and get angry at other people for your failures