User Generated Content. Where Is It? A Call To The Membership

Now everything we see on ATS is user generated, we all know that much, however I have seen a sharp decline in the ammount of actual stories and related conspiracy discussion in the past few months.

Now we've had a few very outstanding members leave ATS for various reasons, and it's left us a little dry.

I've been trying my best to "step up" and provide more thread and read more information, but it is up to ALL of us to make an effort to keep ATS as diverse and progressive as possible.

So my fellow ATS'ers, even if you aren't sombody who posts a lot of threads, or haven't done it at all, a good time to start would be now.

Thread making is relatively easy, some get more responses than other, but that all comes with time.

Myself have about 300 threads started as you all have seen if you've visited my profile sometimes I get to responses and no flags, but at least the content is there to for research if the need be.

It's up to ALL OF US to make ATS a great place, we are all contributing members, even if you are just here browsing and reading.

So, please folks...

TAKE THE PLUNGE!

Edit to add: Even if you are a new member, who perhaps feels a little "threatened" by some of the more established members and their threads, please REACH OUT to them, most of them are glad to help with any of your questions regarding Thread creation.

Ive seen new members who started in September who have more flags than I do, so it's not something to be worried about. It's all about the issues and the presentation, not who is presenting it.

~Keeper

[edit on 11/28/2009 by tothetenthpower]

The site doesn't reward anyone for their opinions or work. I don't mean monetarily, I mean by recognition. I have said it before many times, the site needs to get people interested in continuing the contributions.

The only way to do that would be to have an ordered vote on posts and threads where all of the best ones rise to the top as voted on by the membership. Reward of the popular vote is all it would take to make ATS a contender for top 100 websites.

But the SO and others wont hear of it. Too much work to write the code I'm guessing.

reply to post by skepticantiseptic


You are wrong. There is a great deal of incentive. From the Contribution bar to your profile, to the overall respect you earn from the community for being an outstanding member.

Since when has respect become not good enough for people? Mind you I respect all of my ATS brethren, however those who make it a point to contribute to ATS on a daily basis are those who really make ATS "The place to Be".

Dont' be discouraged by how big ATS has become, it's a lot of work for both the staff and the owners. And yes there is a lot of coding.

However, about the top threads, they are there everyday, and the News Hose, the News Cast with Johny. These stories listed there are selected by the members who think the particular threads are worth that.

~Keeper

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by skepticantiseptic

 

You are wrong. There is a great deal of incentive. From the Contribution bar to your profile, to the overall respect you earn from the community for being an outstanding member.


~Keeper

Yes, yes I have heard it all. The community? Yes the community. Big Deal!!! I'm talking about outside recognition. You know like when the mainstream picks up a really good post and comments on it. If they were ordered the really good ones wouldn't be lost amidst all the crap.

You asked why and I'm telling you why. Believe what you want, but it's the truth.

Stars and flags don't cut it.

Everyone want's to be the cream. The cream is sweet and always rises to the top. That is except on ATS.

[edit on 28-11-2009 by skepticantiseptic]

reply to post by skepticantiseptic


Well, our idea of recognition differs slightly my friend. To me, recognition from a community I spent a lot of time on is important.

Another thing, I don't think I've ever seen an ATS story picked up in the MMS. And they could only quote your screen name, not your actual name or any of your credentials.

But this thread isn't about being recognized, it's about keeping this place progressive and having new content that is as better or better than the last.

~Keeper

reply to post by tothetenthpower


You think? Maybe the formula isn't working, as posited by your own admittance?

You think?



[edit on 28-11-2009 by skepticantiseptic]

reply to post by skepticantiseptic


Well first ATS is not a news outlet, we a discussion website, we discuss news which is found on Other news sites. So for a company like CNN to run an ATS story is a bit redundant.

And the formula works great, when we have members who are actively engaged in making the content available. I've simply seen a lack of it lately.

Just trying to russle some feathers and bring some of our more quiet members to speak up and voice their opinions.

Edit to add: As for the " I Think" statement, I've never seen one, but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

~Keeper

[edit on 11/28/2009 by tothetenthpower]

Most people are interested in hoaxes and "My friend in the Illuminati told me..." or "Christians/atheists are stupid"

I just don't bother.

Never been much of a thread starter really.
Most people just post what they read on some news site and repost it here?
I mean... wow.... the thought that takes


I've never been a thread starter and It's mainly because i see the kind of threads that do well and it certainly doesn't inspire me.
I'll stick to my sarcastic, dry and sometimes insightful replies.
Does me just fine.

[edit on 28/11/09 by blupblup]

reply to post by blupblup


To each his own my friend, and I will admit there are threads which get more attention that shouln't, but that's simply because we have created that environment for ourselves.

There's a way out of everything and more members generatin more diverse content is the way to do it.

~Keeper

And that is another thing. Why do you think the SO doesn't allow stars on board business & questions posts? They really don't value the popular opinion.

They run it right into the ground if you ask me. No vision or insight and that is sad.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by blupblup

 

There's a way out of everything and more members generatin more diverse content is the way to do it.

~Keeper

Oh for sure, but it's always been this way.
It's the trend I've noticed since i started browsing a few years back.
Granted it used to be a lot more civil and a lot more like a community... but many decent members have left or been banned (not going to go into the reasons why) and the content has been sacrificed for numbers/members... which is fine.

But the site has become diluted... I'm hoping it's just the usual lull... i really hope it is.

Originally posted by blupblup

Most people just post what they read on some news site and repost it here?
I mean... wow.... the thought that takes

[edit on 28/11/09 by blupblup]

I've seen a few people bashing on those threads lately.

But I completely disagree, I love the fact that ATS has a few thousand pairs of eyes scouring the net for interesting, important and alternative stories.

If I come to ATS, I know all the major issues of the day/week will be being discussed here and I think that is very important.

It takes hours to scan the many many websites looking for these thread worthy news items!

So go easy on them lol!!!

I guess i will start making more threads. I dont really make threads to get replies or flags any way.

Originally posted by skepticantiseptic
The site doesn't reward anyone for their opinions or work. I don't mean monetarily, I mean by recognition. I have said it before many times, the site needs to get people interested in continuing the contributions.

I was promised a hat ... nothing!
I was promised a cookie ... nothing!

On the other hand, I do get the benefit of being exposed to a plethora of new information, thoughts and reasoning different from mine, the opportunity to exchange ideas with people from all over this world and maybe others , to learn, to teach, to laugh, to make friends, to make mistakes, to redeem myself, to vent, to grow, and to simply express myself safe in the knowledge that doing so for its own sake rather than for some carrot on a stick, is the greatest reward. Virtue abounds ...

What is it specifically that YOU want?

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by skepticantiseptic

 

Well first ATS is not a news outlet

[edit on 11/28/2009 by tothetenthpower]

I would disagree. I have often found out news and much better than the traditional by being on this site. Think about that aspect too. What if news were breaking around the world. The reporters might not be able to get to a specific location, while the ATS members could, esp if they live nearby.

That is another reason threads and posts should be ordered by the popular vote. The more you answer back, the more you shoot your own reasoning in the foot.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

Thread making is relatively easy, some
get more responses than other

Yes. But sadly it appears that the easiest way to get a lot of reponses ina trhead is to start yet another hot-button topic. Well thought out, and well researched posts often don't receive much attention.

For example, look at this thread about car company logo symbolism. And look at the third and final post in the thread. I spent hours doing that research. If you look I provide fifteen links worth of source material, and thoroughly explained a topic that very few people have any knowledge of. And what was the response?

It killed the thread. No stars, no responses...it just outright killed the thread. What...I gave useful information so nobody had anything to say anymore? What kind of incentive does that give us to think out our posts?

Now take a look at this thread from yet another christian asking yet again why people don't like christians. Somebody makes a post like this once a week, he offers absolutely nothing new or original...nothing that hasn't been said dozens, maybe hundreds of time before of this site...and in 24 hours the thread has 24 stars and fifteen pages worth of responses.


Why should anyone bother contributing original content on ATS? Why should anyone bother taking their time to think their ideas through? Why should anyone bother to provide sources to verify their claims?

ATS readership is more interested in screaming matches over the same old low-quality rants that have been floating around for years. ATS is more interested in random people claiming to be gods/aliens/bloodlines/whatever.

ATS readers don't want well thought out, well researched, or original content.

Why should we try to force it on them?

reply to post by kiwifoot




I don't mean all MSM... some stories are very worthwhile, but stories about What shoes Obama wore or whatever... seem to have increased dramatically.
I don't mean Obama threads... just pointless crap that the MSM lap up and pollute peoples minds with... the kind of stuff that we should ignore here.


I dunno.


Just ignore me...

Originally posted by tothetenthpower

I've been trying my best to "step up" and provide more thread and read more information, but it is up to ALL of us to make an effort to keep ATS as diverse and progressive as possible.

I've also noticed the decline.
It will take some time to build back up the posting quality once more usual non thread starters start to jump in.

Originally posted by kiwifoot

Originally posted by blupblup

Most people just post what they read on some news site and repost it here?
I mean... wow.... the thought that takes

[edit on 28/11/09 by blupblup]

I've seen a few people bashing on those threads lately.

But I completely disagree, I love the fact that ATS has a few thousand pairs of eyes scouring the net for interesting, important and alternative stories.

If I come to ATS, I know all the major issues of the day/week will be being discussed here and I think that is very important.

It takes hours to scan the many many websites looking for these thread worthy news items!

So go easy on them lol!!!

I would like to star you but I can't, so here is an imaginary one -->star

Originally posted by LordBucket
Now take a look at this thread from yet another christian asking yet again why people don't like christians. Somebody makes a post like this once a week, he offers absolutely nothing new or original...nothing that hasn't been said dozens, maybe hundreds of time before of this site...and in 24 hours the thread has 24 stars and fifteen pages worth of responses.

Why should anyone bother contributing original content on ATS? Why should anyone bother taking their time to think their ideas through? Why should anyone bother to provide sources to verify their claims?

ATS readership is more interested in screaming matches over the same old low-quality rants that have been floating around for years. ATS is more interested in random people claiming to be gods/aliens/bloodlines/whatever.

Totally agree with that.
Absolutely hit the nail on the head.