"I've decided to end the experiment."

Rob, what experiment? Why did you end it? How? What is happening with Olyblog now?

I would like to understand what's going on, and I think the entire community deserve to understand.

Thanks in advance.

Matthew

[Ganked from the comments by Rick]

Some folks may have picked up that I'm leaving the docency in a couple of weeks, and I don't intend without leaving a replacement behind me. And, I'm nominating folks just to get the ball rolling, the discussion going, but I think these folks could do a pretty good job.

Gug. While he's not a front page regular, he's a steady hand in the comment threads and he can be guilted into turning his sharp mind on some local topics on a regular basis.

Epersonae (chad360's better half, aka Elaine). Same as above, not enough front paging, but what does is very good. Would bring a level of, what what do you call it, knowledge of actually running a website. Oh, yeah, we don't actually have much of that right now.

Chad360. While I have to be honest, his stream-oh-chad writing can leave me dragging behind the family blog sometimes, chad takes what we do here very seriously. To the point he buts heads with current docents, but I don't think that's particulary a bad thing.

Thad Curtz. While fairly new to here and someone I almost disagree with at all point, Thad is also steady and seems to have a fair interest in the overall topic of citizen journalism. He's also done lots of front page stuff, but centered on one topic in particular.

That's my core list, but other folks to come to mind include: Katherine and einmaleins.

So, how are we going to do this? I say come up with a list of nominees and vote from there. Whether we need two rounds depends on the size of the list.

As anyone who has reading the docent list is aware, there are a number of issues that continue to be a challenge for the blog. This is a not-necessarily-complete list:

• Moderation. This issue has always been a challenge on OlyBlog. Some folks have difficulty putting the community before their own needs, and their continued participation pushes many other actual or potential bloggers away. We've worked hard to build a system that feels fair (warnings, probationary periods, eventual banning), and my sense is that it has been working ok. But, not all docents are in agreement about it, and users tend to view it as arbitrary.
• Meeting. It has been very difficult to get docents together for meetings. We all have a lot going on, and OlyBlog is not the top priority for any of us.
• Content. Another question that docents have grappled with is: what is appropriate for the front page? What is news, and what is fluff? How do we support more serious local content?
• Mission. Finally, we have a lot of ideas about where we want OlyBlog to go. For example, we'd like to expand the blog into a clearinghouse for all types of local media: OlyMedia. OlyBlog would be a part of that, but it could also include OlyNews (part of what OlyBlog currently does), OlyRadio, OlyBands, etc...

It is clear to me that this is too much for the docents to handle alone. We need more energy and input. So, I'd like to suggest the following:

OlyGather -- An ongoing group that meets weekly to discuss news in Olympia, to suggest stories for OlyBlog (or eventually for OlyNews), to discuss issues on OlyBlog, and to be the decision-making body for OlyBlog (OlyMedia).

I think this would take one job off of the docents (decision-making and long-range planning), allowing them to focus on the day-to-day issues on the blog, helping others with content, and pursuing their own interests. I think this would also be an important adjustment because there seems to be the general perception that docents are "running things" without being sensitive to the input of other users. While I think this perception is unfounded, it is there, and this change will address that perception. I hope that we will also begin to have some of the conversation and networking that used to occur when we met at the Brotherhood on Monday nights.

Comments?

On at least two occasions in the past few months, I have asked the docents to step in quickly when I experienced what I considered to be gratuitous personal attacks here on Olyblog and nothing happened on both occasions.  In the absence of prompt docent moderation, I bbelieve conflict will escalate.

I do wish that when any of us ask for the docents to step in and ask another poster to refrain from personal attacks that prompt action by the docents would follow.

Absent quick action to squelch the baiting and taunting, the gratuitous personal attacks, this site will continue to be a hostile environment on a regular basis.

Re: blog post http://olyblog.net/discomfort-re-violent-confrontations

At 6:16pm Rob Richards, in his docent role, closed the thread to any further comments. See the comment below:
“Ok, I think we've squeezed every last bit of usefulness

Submitted by Rob Richards on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 6:16pm.

out of this thread,

Nothing to see here, folks, move along.”

Then at 6:32pm, after comments have been closed, “bert” makes another comment on this thread. His comment was NOT in the role of a docent. His comment was a personal comment. See the comment below:
“specific points

Submitted by bert on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 6:32pm.

What I have done here is made a strong case for why Brigham's report deserves to be viewed with skepticism. He has been a staunch detractor of PMR… “ (The comment continues but for the sake of brevity, I have truncated it.)

I am a docent at OlyBlog, which is dedicated to hyperlocal news and discussion of topics related to life in and around Olympia, Washington. OlyBlog's mission is to promote citizen journalism and to provide a resource for sharing knowledge and discussion about Olympia (and immediately surrounding areas.)

OlyBlog is awesome and fun. However, throughout much of the history of OlyBlog (over 2 and 1/2 years now) there have been users of the site who participate in a way that is disruptive and discourages participation by a broader audience. Personally it has been aggravating and frustrating to deal with some of these individuals, there are about 10 or so of them, who bring an attitude of prejudice, of combativeness, of aggression and intolerance for any ideas but their own. Some users' behavior is downright nasty, hostile, provocative, antagonistic, hostile and dishonest. (sorry, yes I realize this isn't a thesaurus.)

Recently a docent posted this in the comments of a thread.

get to work Norm
Submitted by Rob Richards on Tue, 02/12/2008 - 12:56pm.
Before you buy another gun or iPod I hope you consider how those purchases are a huge waste and how that money could be spent on a monthly bus pass for a single mom to get to work everyday, a nice outfit for somebody to wear to a job interview, school supplies for a child from a poor home.

You can find the post here.

Is this what the behavior of a docent should be? I have called for Mr. Richards to step down as a docent and let someone who can be fair, civil and helpful fill the spot. What do you think? C.

Edit. I found this today as well.

Kind of a post what we want comment as we see fit or find "your own damn blog".

"People look at coming here to argue as an entertainment source. If Olyblog really is going to be a place for citizen journalism then I think it needs editors. I think we have to set stricter content guidelines to focus on local stories only."

Amen brother. Or folks can start their own damn blogs.

When can we get together?

Emmett

On Feb 13, 2008 11:22 AM, Rob Richards wrote: