47 replies to this topic

[Elrond of Rivendell]

Yesterday, I provided that tip for the Toys-R-Us sale going on this march. Thanks to B6, I got a proto boost. It got me wondering though. How many of you have ever had your news tips posted, and which ones were they?

-Bane

[Makuta Matata]

I've never submitted a news post. I wish I had the chance to, though.

[fishers64]

Most of the news I notice everyone else does as well, so my news tips get dissolved into the "BZPower members" catagory.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I've had a couple news story posted. One of them had to do with Lego-related events taking place at NASA. (I actually got one of my proto boosts from that story. )

[Predator - Jungle Hunter]

What's a proto boost?

[Elrond of Rivendell]

What's a proto boost?

A proto boost is a boost to the proto bar at the left lower side of your posts. Proto boosts are given for good behavior, like reporting flaming or trolling; sending in news that usually only you know; and also helping answer questions in the Q&A forums on this site.

[Sumiki]

I want to say ... three. My first one was for my fourth Proto boost, and I think I had two more after that. I don't remember one, but I believe the other was about new LEGO stores opening near where I live.

[Applejack]

I got proto for reporting Amazon having some of the graphic novels in a three pack.

Everything else has been reported by boatloads of members, too. :/

[Eeko]

I think I got a sale put on the front page, but it wasn't important enough for a boost.
Lame staff, puttin' me down.

[Gatanui]

What's a proto boost?

A proto boost is a boost to the proto bar at the left lower side of your posts. Proto boosts are given for good behavior, like reporting flaming or trolling; sending in news that usually only you know; and also helping answer questions in the Q&A forums on this site.

Thanks, Rocka's Bane. Read this topic for details.

I have got two proto boosts for my first two news reports of a total of...150. I don´t feel like cluttering up the topic, so if you want to see them, check out my extensive list in my profile.

-Gata

Edited by Gatanui, Mar 27 2012 - 11:42 AM.

[Legolover-361]

I have never reported a news story that reached the front page. I tried for a while, but all the news I could find was either old or irrelevant.

[The Inquisitive Automaton]

Haha, oh please, you think I got a full proto bar from playing nicely and being useful? No, no, no, four out of five boosts were just the result of me being quick to report Bionicle related news. The other one was received after becoming a premier member.

[Taipu1]

I reported some piraka merchandise I saw at Legoland Windsor back in '06. Don't know if I got a protoboost for it though, I never kept record of that, but it would seem likely if so many people have got them for news reporting.

[Bambi]

None of my news tips have ever been used.

[Toa Zaz]

I've submitted a ton, but none of them were ever used. I'm thinking that maybe there are some politics behind it all.

[Gatanui]

I've submitted a ton, but none of them were ever used. I'm thinking that maybe there are some politics behind it all.

Or perhaps your reports simply weren´t noteworthy enough?

Evil to him who evil thinks. Seriously, why do you always try to something see bad about things? Obviously, the people who have most of their reports submitted are a minority. If you want, you can tell me what your latest reports were and I´ll try and say if they were news-worthy or not. Although I have had a ton of reports which weren´t used, I can still safely assume I have the most experience in this respect.

-Gata

Edited by Gatanui, Mar 27 2012 - 02:24 PM.

[Tavakai]

I've submitted a few, and one of them was used and credited to me. Wasn't important enough for Proto though, apparently.

If I recall correctly, it was something to do with some Phantoka thing that was released on some spinoff site of the official Bionicle site.

[Paleo]

Let's see… 11 reports since the beginning of 2012. And there are a few more from late 2011 and during the downtime.
(Note: the above figure includes the times there have been two sources, typically where Gata and I reported the same thing (Grr ))

However, the only time I ever received a proto boost for news was before the downtime when I reported the start of Lego Kidfests annual trip around the country. During the downtime I even sent in photos of the Minneapolis event, but alas, no proto boost for that.

However, I have been rewarded in a slightly different way…

[GSR]

Unfortunately I'm not nearly as good a newshound for Lego as I am for some other things, so I've only submitted one or two tips - pretty much just if I happen to spot anything particularly interesting. I do wonder why my tip about that HF video contest with the significant cash prizes a few months back got overlooked, though I was able to post it in the HF topic and my blog, so I'm guessing the folks who would be interested saw it anyways, which is the important part.

[Paleo]

Unfortunately I'm not nearly as good a newshound for Lego as I am for some other things, so I've only submitted one or two tips - pretty much just if I happen to spot anything particularly interesting. I do wonder why my tip about that HF video contest with the significant cash prizes a few months back got overlooked, though I was able to post it in the HF topic and my blog, so I'm guessing the folks who would be interested saw it anyways, which is the important part.

It's possible that it slipped past the staff's radar. They have quite a few reports coming in.

Especially from me

[Gatanui]

Let's see… 11 reports since the beginning of 2012. And there are a few more from late 2011 and during the downtime.
(Note: the above figure includes the times there have been two sources, typically where Gata and I reported the same thing (Grr ))

However, the only time I ever received a proto boost for news was before the downtime when I reported the start of Lego Kidfests annual trip around the country. During the downtime I even sent in photos of the Minneapolis event, but alas, no proto boost for that.

However, I have been rewarded in a slightly different way…

Argh, I´ve only had eight this year! You are beating me to it! Seriously, you´ve been very good finding news lately. Keep it up and you may surpass my number of news reports in a few years, in which case I would have to pass the title of Senior News Finder on to you.

*Goes off searching news*

Then again, who says there can´t be two with the title?
I remember when I had a race with Kaxix, back when we were both in the 20's of the number of news reports.

-Gata

Edited by Gatanui, Mar 27 2012 - 02:58 PM.

[Dralcax]

Lego man in space!
Source: Everyone

Yeah... just my luck...

[BioGio]

It was a news report for two sales (that I think I saw in a new LEGO catalogue) that got me the boost to become an OBZPC. Before that, I had sent one or two in, but they were days old by the time that I learned about them--or basically worthless anyway--and I bet Gata had already reported them. (Seriously, man, where do you find all of this? )

~ BioGio

[Makuta_of_Oz]

I posted a news story about some maybe prototypes I found going cheap on eBay during the downtime. I was very proud.

[-Windrider-]

I got all of the Rahaga when they first came out, and posted pictures of them in a topic on the forums. These pictures found their way to the front page without my having reported them, but I received credit nonetheless. Such is the extent of my front-page career.

[Velox]

I got Proto for a news report once, but I have no idea what the story was. =P I don't think I've ever even reported anything else, either, but definitely haven't received more than one boost for news.

[Ziko]

I've sent in a few news emails—around three or four, probably—but none of them were posted. Most likely they were out-dated by the time I sent them or just insignificant; finding news really isn't my thing. =P

[xccj]

Back in the day, I believe I got two proto boosts for news stories. I'm sure I've been credited with a handful of stories in my time here, though the last few years the only ones I can claim to be the source of are the set reviews I've written.

And some basic stuffs about getting credit for news reports: if multiple people submit something, we don't give everybody credit. And reporters cannot actually give proto away... we don't have that power, and have to ask one of the higher-ups to give proto. If there ever is a case where your name appears on the front page but you aren't given proto, you can always just send a polite PM asking why. It could just be that it hasn't been attended to yet... or that we forgot to tell Black Six about the proto. (Well, this applies to my news reports anyway, I won't speak for the methods of other reporters. Oh, and I probably won't respond well to angry PMs, so emphasis on politeness. )

As for how to submit good news that'll show up on the front page... well, refer to Gatanui. He's good at finding the news, I just report it.

[Akuna Toa of Sonics]

Never posted any news and never gotten a proto boost.

[Gatanui]

and I bet Gata had already reported them. (Seriously, man, where do you find all of this? )

~ BioGio

Here is a piece of advice for reporting news, straight from The New Q&A Compendium, written by yours truly.

Don't despair if after several reports you are still not listed as a source! Generally, it's best not to search crazily for news, but rather to know where to look. LEGO.com is a good source for news especially in the months of November to January and May to July, when websites are updated and added. Doing a Google News search (or somewhere else) of "LEGO" and other related key words can get you some good results, too. Just remember to report anything you come across that could be of interest to a larger number of members, even if it does not interest you too much, and eventually, you will be proud to find your name shining in a news report!

-Gata

[Kahu Rider 13]

I got a news story reported way back in August 2002. No Proto boost for it, though, since that was before Proto was introduced.

[Cederak]

I've recieved proto for submitting news, but it was so long ago (2007?), I couldn't actually tell you what the article was.

-Ced

[Ballom]

I have probably reported news a grand total of twice, for which I was not the only person to report it, and I gained no credit or proto. Ah well, c'est la vie. Still became a POBZPC anyway.

~B~

[Tekulo the WindWriter]

I've actually had a few tips of mine go through the news. I happened to be in the right place for Kidsfest in two different cities (I got to go once alone and once with one of my brothers). I took a bunch of pictures for one of the conventions and I decided to download them to my computer and send them in. The other Kidsfest related tip that went through was a "save the date" for the next con. Kidsfest was fun both times attending. ^^ Got to see a life-size Tahu Mata (a lego statue that I had not seen since I was a kid. Long story, getting off topic. @_@).

Then, BZP member Alyska made a Lego Cussoo project; a constraction line for girls. She'd been having trouble getting support, so I sent in a tip to news after she'd heard back from the Lego staff about her idea (though last I checked that project still has a long way to go before 10,000 votes, sadly).

I think I've actually submitted more to news, but those were the stories of mine that actually made the home page (and it's how I got my proto boost too).

Edited by Tekulo: Toa of Gales, Mar 29 2012 - 09:34 PM.

[Dralcax]

I reported the Hermit Crab thing, but no boost.

[Peach 00]

Sadly, no. I've sent in beyond dozens of sig reports, although I haven't sent any news stories in. I've reported a few topics as well, but I suppose that's not enough. =/

[Eeko]

Sadly, no. I've sent in beyond dozens of sig reports, although I haven't sent any news stories in. I've reported a few topics as well, but I suppose that's not enough. =/

I know how that feels.
I must have sent over a thousand sig reports before I got my first proto boost.
Just keep sending them, it'll come eventually.

[Peach 00]

Sadly, no. I've sent in beyond dozens of sig reports, although I haven't sent any news stories in. I've reported a few topics as well, but I suppose that's not enough. =/

I know how that feels.
I must have sent over a thousand sig reports before I got my first proto boost.
Just keep sending them, it'll come eventually.

The one thing I'm beginning to dislike about sig reports is that you have to send them through the member report button that's on the member profiles now. Yes, you have to, one of the staff members said that you have to now. Multiple sig reports were always so fun.

[christo1096]

I've sumbitted some news, but have not get proto boost.

[Knave]

Once, I almost tipped off a LEGO Printer. One day later, it turned up in the news anyway. I still don't know how many dozens of people had sent in the article.