After the Chuck fans mercilessly pounded NBC until they renewed the show, you'd think all the hard working, dedicated fans would get some respect and recognition. Instead, they got a slap in the face -- a dirty, backhanded bitch slap designed to impede free thought and a grassroots effort to bring in more fans. Now why would they do such a heinous act on certain individuals? I don't care. What I do care about is the act that was perpetrated by one individual. What is this act?
On the NBC forum, there is an administrator named AzizalSaqr. In the Chuck Me Out subforum, a member posted a link to Chuck You Tuesday's, a podcast corollary to Chuck Me Mondays. In response, AzizalSaqr proceded to not only delete the link, but also ban the member who posted them. This was her explanation:
Several Podcast links and all posts related to them have been removed. It has come to our attention that the sites include illegal spoiler information in their broadcasts in direct violation of this Forum and Board's Spoiler Policy. The links are being forwarded to the "Chuck" offices in order for them to make the final decision on the handling of the matter, and we ask that no posts be made on the sites until a decision has been made.
Any reasonable person would come to the conclusion that this is a totally fallacious argument based not in reason, but power. Power to control others, subject weaker people to arbitrary decision making. This is not about rules. This is about domination and fascistic control, imposing onto members who spend time making third-party content in an attempt to enrich Chuck fans around the world.
I will now break down, the deficient reasoning of this administrator. Lets review the so called "Forum and Board's Spoiler Policy. " There is a single unspecific line in the rules: DO NOT post spoilers unless they come from legitimate sources such as Media Village, TV Guide, E!, E.W. etc. So what exactly is an "illegal spoiler?" The spoilers have come straight from the showrunners at Comic-Con and other interviews. Now how would this administrator know where the spoilers came from?
Answer: She wouldn't. Many sites post the same spoilers and it is impossible to comb through all the various media sites and compare them to statements on the podcast. There are transcripts of the panels at SDCC posted on several different sites and this is where I along with many other Chuck fans receive spoilers. This fascist admin's act is a direct affront to fans everywhere. She is accusing the podcast members of fabricating spoilers from thin air, belittling them and telling them that what they do is false.
In the spirit of goodwill, NBC created Chuck Me Out as another link between the show and the fans. Within a short few months, a politburo of dangerous people have decided to put an end to the outgoing "Chuck-individuality." Remember, the true power is in the hands of the fans. If NBC wants the show to succeed they need us, the viewers, the fans, the ones who really decide whether the show will be renewed. NBC wanted us to love Chuck. We have loved Chuck in return and now it's time for NBC show us some respect and remove the authoritarian element of the forum and allow for free-expression. It's what's right isn't it?
13 comments:
First of all, nice to see an account of what happened. I had heard about it, but didn't knew the details.
I do have to wonder, though. Was that post the only mention of the incident? Because labeling the admin fascist for a single (albeit wrong) decision is too harsh. Let's see what the "Chuck offices" answer, before crying foul that NBC, or its forum, are hindering us.
Well I speak from first hand knowledge that the NBC mod makes up her own rules. Last year I was banned for discussing an official spoiler from E online. No warning just a ban.
So I whole heartly agree she has got to go. ChuckMeOut was supposed to be different, free from NBC corp oversite. Well I left the NBC boards because of her and now I will be dammed if she is going to ruin CMO for me.
what was the new hashtag for this week? thanks for posting text. beats the 17 minutes I had to spend listening to CYT (sorry - i just read faster than you all talk, and with text, i can skim, as well)
This is not a one-time problem. We have been dealing with this admin for a long time. This became a bigger issue when Chuck Me Out went live and NBC communicated to us that we would have more freedom to share our fan activities in their forum.
P.S.
As per my blog, the new hashtag is #chuckmeout and we are not using #chuckmemondays at all (at least tomorrow).
I'm annoyed at the NBC mods (or mod, if that is in fact the case) - not just for removing links to CYT, but also removing a large number of posts for spoilers, incorrect threads, OT conversation, interview links, etc.
We had managed to keep the Chuck train going steadily over the past 3 months or so that the show has been off air, and with another 7 months to go it feels like a slap in the face.
Personally, I have not yet had my account suspended, but I have received 2 warnings and will now have my posts monitored before they are put up. Needless to say I will not be posting on the NBC boards in the foreseeable future.
It is a real shame, because there was a great sense of community on the board, which I will dearly miss.
I'm another one who's on the "posts are monitored" list at the NBC Chuck board. Funny thing is, I really didn't know why this had happened until others personally informed me about this. Turns out that even referring to the alleged spoilers was enough to get a warning, and two, well, that silenced me, pretty much. It's hard to take part in a conversation when days go by before posts are released.
And how did I get two warnings? The mod. in question claims that (s)he was late in moderating because of illness. So two infractions was surprisingly easy. And considering the source of the alleged spoiler and the amount of conversation it generated...
Yeah. I contend the whole thing was uncalled for, the reaction, extreme.
And very foolish. I've come to know some of "the banned", and a nicer, less offending bunch of people you'll never find on line. I may take this as a personal slight (and big whoop. Who cares?), but what's been done to them - and to the boards - is really, really sad and uncalled for. They deserve far better.
Bucko27
It was this same mod than banned me as well back in April. I asked her why I'd been banned and she said I was discussing unauthorized spoilers. I dont even remember the specific thing I posted, but I think it was something about Jill coming back in 1st kill, which was in the episode summary on NBC.com.
Its such a shame b/c most mainstream new fans go there as their first means of posting about Chuck. They are sending the wrong message to fans who want to discuss the show. After I was banned, I gave up and went to Strahotski.com to post.
That mod is power hungry and has been for a while. I am betting she probably doesn't even watch the show and has no gauge on anything to do with how its being discussed elsewhere. You would think she would be educated enough to know when something comes from the CREATORS of the show, its a legitimate source.
I heard the mod does not like the show at all.
I knew she was a hater a few months ago.
Anyway, why don't we contact NBC and ask them to put someone in charge who likes the show?
This moderator is doing this on EVERY board she moderates. I'm beginning to think she works for a competing network and is trying to destroy NBC's fan base. Does anyone know who NBC's lead administrator is and how to contact him or her about this tyrant?
nbcskampy is the root administrator for the forum. You can send her a message from your NBC forum account. If that fails, I am sure the sponsors, show producers and NBC brass might not like hearing from a bunch of angry fans that a VOLUNTEER moderator with no financial stake in this show is alienating fans with her unreasonable tactics.
Me too! wow!
I use to have somewhat negative opinions about Heroes fans, albeit stupid, ideas of what was going on in the show. I mean.. there are some stupid assumptions on that forum.. let me tell you. But anyway, one day I logged in and my account was.. muted.. I guess. I couldn't post anymore but I could view everything. Got a PM saying it would last a month.
So, I logged back in a year later.. and it was still blocked.. So I made a new forum account. I mostly commented on the new show Merlin and said it was pretty interesting.
Two months later I log back into that account and it's been banned for making duplicate accounts or something.. I log back into the account that I couldn't post on.. and I still can't post.
At this point.. I'm not even sure whats going on. I don't think theres even a way to ask about my dilemma because I can't seem to post..
Yeah, NBC forum is like the Soviet Union. Everyone always complains about Fox News and how crazy they are, but the Fox forums are one of the most open official forum out there.