11/05/24
April 27, 2005
Let's Examine Our Columns: SportsFilter columns, the place where any member can write at length on a subject, have never gotten as much love as front-page posts. Would you prefer to see them played up, as I did for wfrazerjr's Todd Bertuzzi piece?
posted by rcade to editorial policy at 04:29 PM - 18 comments
yes, i'd second posting them in the main flow of things (i have had this thought before though I can't find evidence that I have actually suggested it). a thread is a good "here it is" announcement. it would be better than a single mention in the sidebar since the sidebar has low turnover and is easy to ignore. that said, supplement it with a mention in the sidebar as usual for easy access. dunno, is there a way to close comments on the thread so column discussion takes place underneath the colum rather than in the announcement thread?
posted by gspm at 09:44 PM on April 27, 2005
dunno, is there a way to close comments on the thread so column discussion takes place underneath the colum rather than in the announcement thread? That is a really good question if this is how we plan to do the announcements. Keep the comments with the column.
posted by smithers at 08:49 AM on April 28, 2005
As an alternative, we could remove the comment option on columns, making the announcement link the place to comment on them.
posted by rcade at 09:11 AM on April 28, 2005
As an alternative, we could remove the comment option on columns, making the announcement link the place to comment on them. That's not a bad idea. It will give the column even more front-page exposure because people will see some comments and want to read/comment themselves.
posted by grum@work at 11:01 AM on April 28, 2005
true, the column had better link back to the announcement thread though. read the column, want to make a comment, wander back to the front page, get distracted by smudge on the monitor, go grab a soda, check on that download, adjust chair, what was I looking for on the front of spofi again?
posted by gspm at 12:50 PM on April 28, 2005
I like it. For whatever reason, I don't focus on the sidebar too often, "playing up" columns seems to be an effective way to foster discussion.
posted by lilnemo at 01:06 PM on April 28, 2005
Oh man, is that a lump?!? Oh, sorry. Wrong thread. I'm still examining our members.
posted by Samsonov14 at 03:15 PM on April 28, 2005
Not that that column deserves any playing up (more pissed off than thought-provoking), but I dunno about doubling up. I think if people aren't alert enough to look in the sidebar, screw 'em. I believe the comments belong with the column, though. On a sidenote, I will be restarting my weekly NFL picks column come this fall. I miss being snarky and bitchy -- well, to someone other than my wife.
posted by wfrazerjr at 03:38 PM on April 28, 2005
whatever man, you make a great case.
posted by garfield at 03:50 PM on April 28, 2005
Why not just stop making the columns a separate thing? Just add a "Column" list item in the Topic dropdown menu for ordinary posts. Then all the column writer has to do is enter the Title and a summary as the FPP. Then post the article as the first comment. (You should have your article all set to cut and paste before you do this. As the Locker Room interviewer, I can tell you, the peanut gallery is always ready to jump in.)
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:40 PM on April 28, 2005
I like WC's suggestion. Alternatively, I thought part of the long in the works redesign was going to add a comment count for columns in the sidebar but if not, I like WC's suggestion. If we got more of them, might be different.
posted by billsaysthis at 06:33 PM on April 28, 2005
Sorry, that is a lump.
posted by yerfatma at 07:49 PM on April 28, 2005
only problem i see with wc's suggestion is that it may leave it open for people to just post rants and shit they should be posting on their blogs. i like rcade's idea of having the comments in the fpp and treat the column as an external link of sorts. or combine the two ideas and have whoever makes the annoucement posts the column as the first comment.
posted by goddam at 08:30 PM on April 28, 2005
I go with goddam's final reco: Still have to submit to editor, then editor makes FPP (headline, summary) and posts article as first comment.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:40 AM on April 29, 2005
only problem i see with wc's suggestion is that it may leave it open for people to just post rants and shit they should be posting on their blogs. Exactly. I'm not crazy about having the columns on the main page AND the sidebar, but allowing posting of columns by members to the main page would be problematic imho. It changes the entire feel of the site, and suddenly not having an actual link is ok. Moderation of the site would be almost impossible. Comments under the article in the side bar would be great.
posted by justgary at 01:50 AM on April 29, 2005
See above.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:00 PM on April 29, 2005
I saw your post wc. I was just responding in general to the suggestion (which I had also considered myself).
posted by justgary at 01:20 PM on April 29, 2005
I'd rather see s'more people writing the damn thangs. (btw I got another one in the hopper, a serial column about the Torino Olympics, but I'll drop that on you elsewhere)