ATS a "crackpot American website"

reply to post by IsaacKoi


While this sounds familiar, I have to add that in ATS we all post base on opinions and also on facts.

Obviously the person or "interest group" that wrote the article nick pick to its personal interest when it said that ATS only spread paranoia.

I will not worry when the propaganda outside ATS is just trying to get attention.

This show that this site is getting very popular to the point of becoming worrisome to some groups.

Originally posted by Blogstalker
IMO leaving messages on the Daily Mails websites just gives them credence that we care about what they say and I for one do not care. It also gives them hits and adds to their stats.

I completely agree with what this member said!

Who gives a damn about what that kind of Media writes?!?-

We all know what it's all about...


[edit on 10/2/09 by plutoxgirl]

Originally posted by neformore
I was thinking some more about this....then I did some research.

Daily Mail circulation for December 2008 - 2,139,178
Daily Mails own figures

ATS - Number of visits for December 2008 - 2,329,679
ATS December 2008

This underground "crackpot" messageboard we call home isn't so small after all, is it?

I was about to post these figures, there you go.

What would be equally as interesting is how many of the Mail readers respond to the stories. most of the mail Dear Editor sections would be lucky to strtch to half a page.
I would hazard a guess that the total posts on ats for one day would be greater than the dear Editor sections of the entire UK newspaper industry in one week, including their online versions.

Now that really tells a story.

its a British tabloid, its not like they publish serious topics intended for debate.

they have such stupid titles as Elvis was an alien

reply to post by TiM3LoRd


Don't knock the rags

Isaac
Here is one of the problems we face here on ATS
Warning read the tread dont watch vid dont comment on thread

report back here

www.abovetopsecret.com...

MJ2

Originally posted by neformore
I was thinking some more about this....then I did some research.

Daily Mail circulation for December 2008 - 2,139,178
Daily Mails own figures

ATS - Number of visits for December 2008 - 2,329,679
ATS December 2008

This underground "crackpot" messageboard we call home isn't so small after all, is it?

Did everyone see this post? Im quoting it so that it gets re-posted.

Its the reason we dont need their blessings. Times have changed.

I love how the comments are 'moderated'.

Anything slightly criticizing the daily snail will not appear.
There are only 14 comments. I posted one detailing how ATS is not a crackpot site and has much better and balanced news than media outlets etc etc.
The comments there are just to stir people up.. extreme points from the far sides of each discussion.

Surprise surprise my comment is not there, just like another members comment!

reply to post by IsaacKoi


I hate to admit it but I think that sums up ATS pretty nicely. I mean yes this site is pretty entertaining but have you ever really gotten any thing out of it that was not purely subjective? I mean what ground breaking news or information has ever come about? I have followed threads for months at a time only to have them labeled **HOAX**. What good does any of this do? It is a place for people to come and share ideas, but truely most of it is crackpots arguing with crackpots. Myself not excluded.

Originally posted by sputniksteve


this site is pretty entertaining but have you ever really gotten any thing out of it that was not purely subjective? I mean what ground breaking news or information has ever come about? I have followed threads for months at a time only to have them labeled **HOAX**. What good does any of this do? It is a place for people to come and share ideas, but truely most of it is crackpots arguing with crackpots. Myself not excluded.

Very very good question and one that's been in the back of my mind since I joined.

I heard how ATS has breaking stories and insider information not available anywhere else.

Not saying this isn't the case, but can't say I've come across anything fully credible I'd consider earth-shaking yet.

I have picked through many recent threads based on their subject headings. Some insightful stuff, but a lot of uninformed opinions and what feels like disinformation. Fun bot too often infuriating. The total experience is sort of like going for a stroll through knowing there's land mines buried in the ground.

Maybe someone can point me to where and what I should be looking at.



Mike F

Originally posted by mmiichael
I heard how ATS has breaking stories and insider information not available anywhere else.

You have to dig through the pile to find the relevant stuff. There is alot of fluff here...but patience and persistence will turn up that one thread or two (or twenty) that is like nothing you will find anywhere else...

Originally posted by moocowman

Originally posted by neformore
Daily Mail circulation for December 2008 - 2,139,178
Daily Mails own figures
ATS - Number of visits for December 2008 - 2,329,679
ATS December 2008

I was about to post these figures, there you go.

Just to be fair, monthly web traffic and monthly "newspaper" (using the term loosely in the case of these people) circulation are two different things.

Also, our actual unique visits are closer to 1.4 million a month - still a lot... and shows that our actual monthly reach is somewhere close to half of their offline monthly reach. (Reach being the number of unique people exposed to the content... and stats-types generally attribute 1.3 readers per issue of a newspaper.) Half the monthly reach of a rag such as the Daily Mail ain't too bad.

However, the Daily Mail website kicks our arse.

More than anything, though, the attitude of the writer exposes their deep-seated fear of the user-generated web. More and more people are giving increased credibility to what "everyone else is saying," and less credibility to what the "official" sources of news are saying. Their world is changing, and some of "them" are unable to figure out how to respond with anything other than knee-jerk disdain.

[edit on 11-2-2009 by SkepticOverlord]

Originally posted by mmiichael
I heard how ATS has breaking stories and insider information not available anywhere else.

I just did a radio interview with a Texas talk radio station because of this. They were researching information about the recent trend of several states (21 now) reaffirming the 10th amendment in varying degrees of language that ranges from mild political posturing to outright threats of secession (NH). In their research, it turned out we were the only site they could find with all the information they needed in one spot... three of our threads saved them hours of Google searches (or so they said). They asked me to come on to summarize what our members are saying, and gauge the seriousness of the issue for their listeners.

They also ended up wanting to discuss this thread and whether or not the "North American Union" would be a bad thing.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Nice one Bill! Any chance you can get a recording and post it here so was can all listen, or can you supply us with a free stream link?

IRM

I can't argue with the 'crackpot' line. Have you had a look around here lately? This place is full of crackpots. There are tons of very intelligent people engaging in enlightening discussions, but that sort of thing is more or less hidden beneath a flood of crackpot theories and crazy people.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

More than anything, though, the attitude of the writer exposes their deep-seated fear of the user-generated web. More and more people are giving increased credibility to what "everyone else is saying," and less credibility to what the "official" sources of news are saying. Their world is changing, and some of "them" are unable to figure out how to respond with anything other than knee-jerk disdain.

I think you nailed it. Publications like the Daily Mail are dinosaurs.

2nd line!

Originally posted by Monger
I can't argue with the 'crackpot' line. Have you had a look around here lately? This place is full of crackpots. There are tons of very intelligent people engaging in enlightening discussions, but that sort of thing is more or less hidden beneath a flood of crackpot theories and crazy people.

I tend to agree.
I’ve said it before on ATS there are ways to appreciate a thread or post there should also be a way to depreciate a thread or post. The crackpot threads would soon be exposed as are a good thread.

Originally posted by majestictwo

Originally posted by Monger
I can't argue with the 'crackpot' line. Have you had a look around here lately? This place is full of crackpots. There are tons of very intelligent people engaging in enlightening discussions, but that sort of thing is more or less hidden beneath a flood of crackpot theories and crazy people.

I tend to agree.
I’ve said it before on ATS there are ways to appreciate a thread or post there should also be a way to depreciate a thread or post. The crackpot threads would soon be exposed as are a good thread.

I agree totally. ATS gets positive feedback and reinforcement from those who stay around. Ungauged is the number of people who get put off after a visit and never return. The rating system I ignore as more demanding than I and maybe others want to put in here. With time at a premium it's plenty to just read often pages long threads and add an occasional comment.

The obviously crackpot to thoughtful postings ratio is discouraging. A lot of young and ultra-conspiracy-minded young people must make up a big percentage of the regulars. Often what I consider lunatic fringe information is accepted as articles of faith rather than wild theory.

Hoaxers try to outdo themselves in seeing how long they can go with baiting people and this I'd say is clogging up the forum with a lot of high weirdness that further dilutes the more credible material.

The racist component is the most discouraging and what might push me away in the end. I've recently had from my side a restrained debate with someone who posts hundreds of times a month an running blend of anti-Israel facts and factoids, with what is to me an apparent racist and inflammatory agenda - but always is cleverly couched in correct sounding quasi-political anti-zionist language.

Yes I know we all have a right to our opinions, but the patterns emerge inevitably. There are people who are here for more than just information seeking and sharing.


Mike F










[edit on 11-2-2009 by mmiichael]

Originally posted by mmiichael

The racist component is the most discouraging and what might push me away in the end. I've recently had from my side a restrained debate with someone who posts hundreds of times a month an running blend of anti-Israel facts and factoids, with what is to me an apparent racist and inflammatory agenda - but always is cleverly couched in correct sounding quasi-political anti-zionist language.

What I would suggest is that you dont waste your time trying to convince someone they are racist. Point it out for others to note, ( the mods if need be) make your case, and move on. A racist (or a sexist or any "ist") is rarely using logic to come to those assumptions, and so logic is incredibly ineffective as an antidote.

I personally note racist assumptions coming from both sides of the debate on Zionism and Israel. However, we all have issues near and dear to our own hearts, and racism, (or sexism, or religious intolerance) that hits our own "group" is perceived as more obvious and hateful than racism or sexism or religious intolerance that hits anothers group.

Technically, if one is only concerned about hate speech that affects our own group, we are not much better than the ones whose speech we hate. We either oppose generalizations and discrimination across the board or we are merely being protectionists or discriminating in our own favor. Which really isnt much better.

Not that I am accusing you of that, but there are lots of instances of racism, sexism, nationalism and religious intolerance from every possible angle here in ATS (and in the world at large.) Antisemitism is only one form among many.

I am a proud member of the ATS kitchen crew and I prefer my pots cracked, and my theories half baked. The Daily mail is a great source for nonsensical tales but life is far more interesting here on ATS. We have our share of very educated individuals, along with those whom Darwins theory never visited. We could try and form a website where everyones opinion was the same, but what is the point of that? FAUX News does that all ready.

Now, I have to go adjust my tinfoil hat because the FBI keeps peeking into my moms basement and reading my sekret thoughts. No worries though, I covered my non digital TV in tin foil as well so they can't watch me anymore.