You're kind of amazing.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, and it would be nice if more people could lighten up. A comedy DVD doesn't sound too bad, either. =P

-Zik

oh man

truer words are seldom spoken

have an approval

Good sir,

Do you recommend that those naysayers either lose weight, tie balloons to their belts, or watch Brad Stine shows? Because, good sir, you have not made that clear.

Signed,

Another Good Sir

To quote another respected staff member: DARKEN DOWN, EVERYONE!

BONES CAN I MARRY YOU?

<3

Nice, short blog entry.

This not only applies to the new featured creativity stuff, but to System set reviews. Plenty of members like the original brick as well, and those who do not should embrace all LEGO has to offer.

-CF

oh man

 

truer words are seldom spoken

 

have an approval

Exactly what I was about to post.

Here's mine: Link

~SD~

Why I haven't given this to you sooner, I have no idea:

Awesome entry, bones.

And, to accompany everyone else's...

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<<

Hrmbrgr I kinda disagree. Well, for the most part, I agree, up until the news post that sparked it. The reasoning I've seen is that BZPower has the reputation to uphold for news posts every single day, and that a failure to do so will lead to longer periods where no news is posted; a slippery slope argument if I've ever heard one. This was also the reasoning why we occasionally have sub-par news posts. Basically, I disagree with this. I think we can actually afford to have less news posts, in return for higher quality ones when we do. The type of news post that was posted is, basically, a supplement; as a piece of trivia, it's cute, a midly entertaining, but it isn't standalone. It worked with the anniversary because that's relevant to the site, and was a direct nod from the webmaster, Bink. This latest one was a veiled reference about BIONICLE made not from Bink, but from a fan. We're probably going to see a few more like this, and if we have news posts on each and every one, that's too over the top.

I would also be a fan of altering policy not to have a talkback about the post, something that's bugged me about a lot of things. By pimping out this story, BZP pretty much is advertising the fact that it's desperate for news. If we could afford to go a day or two without news stories, I don't think it would hurt BZP. On the contrary, it would make news that much sweeter when we do get it. However, with posts like this, BZP reveals just how prideful it can be, which is where, I think, most people are taking offense.

Dorek, thanks for the detailed reply. Here's my thoughts.

>>

 

<<

 

Hrmbrgr I kinda disagree. Well, for the most part, I agree, up until the news post that sparked it. The reasoning I've seen is that BZPower has the reputation to uphold for news posts every single day, and that a failure to do so will lead to longer periods where no news is posted; a slippery slope argument if I've ever heard one. This was also the reasoning why we occasionally have sub-par news posts. Basically, I disagree with this.

I have to stop you there, though -- you're acting as if there is some magical universal scale or measure of "par" news posts. As I pointed out, no such measure exists -- one type of news story may interest one type of reader, and not another, and you will pretty much find that in all cases.

Sure, there are stories that obviously will appeal to a wider readership, but take the story you're talking about as an example -- well more than half of the comments in the talkback are positive and liked the story, expressed interest in it, etc. And that's just the ones that bothered to comment, which is always fairly low compared to the large amount of readers of the BZP news page, most of whom just "look and leave" no matter what the story is.

I think we can actually afford to have less news posts, in return for higher quality ones when we do. The type of news post that was posted is, basically, a supplement; as a piece of trivia, it's cute, a midly entertaining, but it isn't standalone. It worked with the anniversary because that's relevant to the site, and was a direct nod from the webmaster, Bink. This latest one was a veiled reference about BIONICLE made not from Bink, but from a fan. We're probably going to see a few more like this, and if we have news posts on each and every one, that's too over the top.

I'm not saying we should report on every possible allusion HF makes to Bionicle. I'm sure the readers (and reporters) would get bored doing that (if the HF web folks wouldn't first ). And keep in mind I'm not talking just to you here.

But the basic flaw in your argument is that it is pro-stagnation. I can't prove this, but my gut feeling is that if readers could not rely on daily updates, they will begin to check back less and less frequently and eventually not at all. That might happen anyways if they feel the stories have too often become trivial, I would grant you -- but not as much. And that is basically the mode of thinking that goes into any daily news service -- I expect with good reason. At the very least, I can speak for myself, that even if every BZP news story doesn't interest me, it is good to have direct proof the reporters are staying on top of things, so I have a reason to check the frontpage every day.

I would also be a fan of altering policy not to have a talkback about the post, something that's bugged me about a lot of things. By pimping out this story, BZP pretty much is advertising the fact that it's desperate for news. If we could afford to go a day or two without news stories, I don't think it would hurt BZP. On the contrary, it would make news that much sweeter when we do get it. However, with posts like this, BZP reveals just how prideful it can be, which is where, I think, most people are taking offense.

Where is this part of your opinion coming from? I saw nothing prideful in the story. It speaks for itself -- it's something the reporter found interesting and passed it along to others that might also find it interesting -- which is what the job is. How on earth do you read pride or desperation into that? There was no posturing or harmful tone or language in it -- the tone was friendly and humorous, light-hearted. This reaction is what's making me and others say "lighten up." Also, I don't see what any of the rest of what you said has to do with having talkbacks or not.

As for the theory that the news would somehow be better if we dropped the daily rule, how? Every reporter's job has always been to do the full work required to do each story justice no matter how big or small it is, to the best of our ability. It's sort of like the argument that you shouldn't exert yourself much so you'll preserve your muscles (a particularly poor challenge performer on Survivor once made that argument -- in reality, practice makes perfect, not stagnation. (I'm planning a Matoran Muscle Preservation Society in an upcoming fanfic that runs along these lines lol.)

And more to the point, the news itself isn't going to get any better just because reporters ignore the lesser stories. The news is what it is -- the reporter's job is to report as much of it that at least some of the readership is interested in as possible, and to do each story justice. Both and, not either or.

Anyway, thanks to the others who replied.

@Bones: While I pretty much agree with everything you have said here, I noticed you said that the job of the BZP news reporters is to do their job to the best of their ability. It seems to me that you are assuming that every news reporter is always doing their job to the best of their ability all the time, when sometimes they may be lazy or else write subpar articles or whatever.

Not that I think the news reporters are always this way, but it seems to me that they can't possible make quality news reports all the time, just like how I can't always write good stories all the time. They have to produce subpar or lower quality news reports every now and then, right? Even if they had a reason for it?

However, that opens the question of what makes a "quality" news article and what doesn't, a question that I am unwilling and unable to answer, since everyone's opinions on what is "quality" varying so wildly it's hard to make a firm judgment on that without getting one group of people or another upset at you.

But like I said, I totally agree with everyone else that you said. I just thought that maybe what I said above hadn't occurred to you, although if it did feel free to ignore this comment.

-TNTOS-

I noticed you said that the job of the BZP news reporters is to do their job to the best of their ability. It seems to me that you are assuming that every news reporter is always doing their job to the best of their ability all the time, when sometimes they may be lazy or else write subpar articles or whatever.

No. You're confusing the job description with the actual results of the work. It's airplanes' pilots job to always land their planes safely at the destination without crashing -- that doesn't mean there are never crashes due to pilot error.

But it does mean good performance is a lot more likely than if the boss doesn't care how good or timely of a job you do. City road construction workers come to mind lol (at least in my hometown ).

There is pressure to do well -- which, to continue the original analogy, is part of why airplane crashes are so rare.

Not that I think the news reporters are always this way, but it seems to me that they can't possible make quality news reports all the time, just like how I can't always write good stories all the time. They have to produce subpar or lower quality news reports every now and then, right? Even if they had a reason for it?

I wouldn't say we HAVE to, but human nature means it will happen sometimes, sure. We're human. But by the definition of "doing thiis story justice". A story is subpar not because it is trivial by some people's POV, but because it is not as well presented as it reasonably could have been, for what it is.

(For example, if we were to go to something like Brickfair, and snap a bunch of photos, see and hear a lot, and then just report "Dude it was great, sorry you missed it", that wouldn't be doing that story justice. The HF-Bionicle allusion story on the other hand did that trivial story just fine. )

Dorek was using "par", it seemed, to try to act as a universal measure of what stories are newsworthy and what aren't, based purely on his own preferences, and the other complainers this is directed towards are doing the same -- that is what I am objecting to. That definition of par would cut out the stories deemed trivial altogether.

So if you mean to be using that argument to defend what Dorek said (I am guessing you did because you picked up on his choice of words with par?), you would be making an "Equivocation" fallacy; using a different meaning of "par" than Dorek used. If that's not what you meant, okay.

However, that opens the question of what makes a "quality" news article and what doesn't, a question that I am unwilling and unable to answer, since everyone's opinions on what is "quality" varying so wildly it's hard to make a firm judgment on that without getting one group of people or another upset at you.

Right, and that's why we tell all the news we realistically can, so more people have a chance of getting more stories they are interested in, over time.

And it also challenges those who would stoop to getting upset just because someone told you something you weren't interested in (horrors! ), to be more mature and learn to simply ignore stories that bore them (a healthy reaction ).

But like I said, I totally agree with everyone else that you said. I just thought that maybe what I said above hadn't occurred to you, although if it did feel free to ignore this comment.

It did and so did any number of other points, but I wanted to keep this shortish (for me ) so I wouldn't dilute my main points. Saving it for replies, as you just provided opportunity, thanks.

This seems like overkill Bones, it's not really a problem if a few people complain about something. Right? Wrong?

> 55555

It's a problem for them. And I'm complaining about their complaints, so...

Well, bones, I wasn't necessarily defending Dorek's argument, although I guess it might have came across that way. I thought I was presenting a completely different argument, actually. Oh, well. Not that I care, since I'm not seeking a debate, but whatever. I'm not very good at presenting my thoughts, so I tend to make a lot of mistakes, even when I carefully think over what I want to say before I say it.

Whatever. Guess it doesn't matter.

-TNTOS-

I'm not disparaging the reporters (who, as usual, do a fine job) I'm just not happy with what we quantify as "news". The way I see it, BZP is turning into a giant Twitter feed (which isn't a bad idea, in and of itself, but that's not really to the point), and posting every little thing that pops into it's head on spur of the moment.

Stagnation isn't really the word I'd use. I'm not saying we should go weeks without news, I just think a day or two without any "news" per se wouldn't kill BZP, and is preferrable to any desperate gamble for a BIONICLE (or Hero Factory) reference.

Well, bones, I wasn't necessarily defending Dorek's argument, although I guess it might have came across that way. I thought I was presenting a completely different argument, actually. Oh, well. Not that I care, since I'm not seeking a debate, but whatever. I'm not very good at presenting my thoughts, so I tend to make a lot of mistakes, even when I carefully think over what I want to say before I say it.

 

Whatever. Guess it doesn't matter.

 

-TNTOS-

Alright, well, it wasn't a big mistake, don't worry about it. I know what you mean now, and I agree.

I'm not disparaging the reporters (who, as usual, do a fine job) I'm just not happy with what we quantify as "news". The way I see it, BZP is turning into a giant Twitter feed (which isn't a bad idea, in and of itself, but that's not really to the point), and posting every little thing that pops into it's head on spur of the moment.

 

Stagnation isn't really the word I'd use. I'm not saying we should go weeks without news, I just think a day or two without any "news" per se wouldn't kill BZP, and is preferrable to any desperate gamble for a BIONICLE (or Hero Factory) reference.

What isn't jiving, to me, with this argument -- among you and the others I'm replying to, is the "turning into" part. As I said, we've always done trivial interest stories when we had time. We've always reported on general LEGO stories -- not to the level we now have time for, but again, that is not because of something BZP has control over. Bionicle ended -- that's a real fact we have to adapt to.

So in terms of anything we can actually control, I don't see how telling trivial stories is a "turning into" when it's something we've always done. These complaints only started attacking these stories as far as I have seen (at least en mass) after Bionicle ended. But the complainers in question seem to forget that we've always done stories like that.

Yes? No?

I get what you're saying about a day or two, though. I'm sure we could survive, but as long as there are stories that do interest a fair number of people (again, as talkback for the HF story proves), shouldn't we do them? Why hold back news that there is an interested audience for?

Am I the only person who finds it ironic how many people had an overkill response to this blog post?

Fly on,

Zakitano

For what it's worth:

I have no idea why I never fave'd your blog before, good, solid arguments, and I 100% agree with you. People need to calm down some. BZPower News was never just about Bionicle it was also about BZPower itself, and I'd argue that this change is even better for the fans, because now it's more focused on us. It was great to see the reporters start the Member Highlight section, long overdue IMO -- the fans are ultimately what made Bionicle so popular, so shouldn't there be rejoicing rather than complaining now that we're getting more of the spotlight?

Anyway, thanks for the good read, Bones.