Planned Contributor Status Overhaul

[Dave de Sylvia]

Dear Sputnikmusic Users,

As you've no doubt been made aware by moderator Jom, we at Sputnik Towers have masterminded a systematic campaign of inner purging and spiritual enlightenment to expand and refine the output of our staff section. In the past few days, we've retired a number of dormant staffers- Andrew Kotick, Robert Crumb, John Cruz and the lovely Amanda Murray- providing them with a range of high-quality healthcare benefits (provided they live in Canada) for their services. We've also injected new blood in the form of staff member Mike, with more developments to follow very soon.

In our efforts to give more transparency to the promotions process, we've also proposed a dramatic rethink of the 'contributor status,' essentially making it a more prestigious and more difficult honour to achieve. Our proposal, subject to your approval, is to reset all users' statuses and to start afresh. The idea is that, in future, the pool of contributing reviewers will be smaller than it is now, but will also serve as a real stepping stone to joining the staff. The end product, we hope, will give users a better idea of how they can progress through the ranks and ensure that it remains a case of what you know rather than who you know.

we understand that many of you may be disappointed to lose your contributor status, but we hope you will also understand that the goal is to better reward your continued improvement as reviewers. Contibutor status will be bestowed upon those users who have shown the ability to consistently improve their writing, learning from constructive criticism and using their knowledge to help other users improve. For our part, the staff will take on a more active leadership role in constructively criticising user reviews and suggesting ways in which they can improve their work.

We'd like your honest input.

[Poet]

I honestly think this is a great idea. For me personally, I would try to write every review as flawlessly as I can without just throwing it out there like I have a few times in the past.

[iarescientists]

do it

[fireaboveicebelow]

yeah this sounds good

[IAmInsect]

i Honestly Think This Is A Great Idea. For Me Personally, I Would Try To Write Every Review As Flawlessly As I Can Without Just Throwing It Out There Like I Have A Few Times In The Past. this applies to me too. although i've had my worst ones deleted, i still won't forget that i submitted a few half-assed ones. and i agree with balls too.

[BallsToTheWall]

This makes a lot of sense. Contributing Reviewer is kind of bloated these days. I hate the idea of losing my badge but i'm always adding bands, reviewing, etc, anyways. A cool idea to me at least, have another ranking betwee contributing and staff. As of now, contributing reviewer seems kind of vague with all that are around these days but I guess this adjustement could fix the problem.

[Channing]

can i just keep mine instead

[iarescientists]

you will be staff shortly channing do not fret

[DFelon204409]

Ya and then after that so is metallicaman8.

[IsItLuck?]

this is long overdue

[south_of_heaven 11]

I cannot wait to write reviews again so that I can form a stepping stone to becoming staff!

[Meatplow]

i'm cool with it

[WillieFisterbut]

There are so many contributing reviewers that it holds no distinction anyway. I believe in my Mods' choices ;)

[Polaris]

Yeah pretty good idea. Especially since I see reviewers that haven't even commented let alone written a review in like a year and a half have "Contributing Reviewer" under their name.

[ninjuice]

I guess I'm fine with it.

I do rather like having the status though, even if it doesn't mean much.

and oh yeah, Balls, there is something between contributor and staff. It's called "Emeritus" and I think we now have people with it. Not sure....

[Kaleid]

No, they're retired staff like Med
I see reviewers that haven't even commented let alone written a review in like a year and a half have "Contributing Reviewer" under their name

123

[Dave de Sylvia]

Med, morrissey, DesolationRow, JXD, Robert Crumb and Bartender are all Emeritus.

[Iluvatar]

But not Hep Kat

[Jom]

And to think mx doubted me when I told him that we should do this! :p
He insisted that Dave make a thread about it. I am so confident in my abilities as Assistant to de Sylvia at Sputnik Towers!

[Iluvatar]

I knew this wouldn't be a problem before you so ha!

[Bronson]

And to think mx doubted me when I told him that we should do this! and we all know how great his judgment is

[McP3000]

uh oh we've got a rebel

[Bronson]

lol

[Correction]

strip those bitches clean

[Doppelganger]

sounds good to me because i don't have contributor status lol!

[Kirgasm]

yeah, do it. it'll take me ages to get contributer back but i dont care really as i probably shouldnt have had it due to my extreme reviewing inactivity almost directly after getting it. plus, thisll motivate more people to review more, as well as improve review by review.

[SHOOTME]

i'm hood with that.

[mx]

And to think mx doubted me when I told him that we should do this!

and we all know how great his judgment is


Clever guys

[Jom]

Mine was just a rib because it had been done before; you know that.
Eliminator's just being Eliminator; you probably know that by now though.

[Dave de Sylvia]

I'm much more concerned by Grant's newfound snarkiness. Two spam cans might sort that **** out.

[Jom]

awww yeahhh throwin' back to oh-six

[Oddsen]

I liked it better when it was 'approved' status. To me contributer almost just means you've written a lot of reviews rather than making quality ones. But i suppose if we start everyone back to zero (which i think we should) than the contributer status will be awarded to those who are good reviewers rather than just regulars.

[Bronson]

wow you think

[Bronson]

I'm much more concerned by Grant's newfound snarkiness. Two spam cans might sort that **** out.

lol

[Joeeddstealschickens]

I think its a good idea but it requires people to leave comments and rate reviews if they read them. Most of mine are on not that popular bands or reggae stuff which not a lot of people read/rate so I don't know what I can improve on, so for someone like me it would be difficult to aim for contributor status because I don't get enough feedback or reads.

[Bronson]

terrible idea actually

and probably not possible

[Iluvatar]

its like rebooting the site lessening the gay

you would think its a bad idea!

[McP3000]

Less gay?! YOU CANNOT REVOKE SPUTNIK MUSIC USERS' FREEDOMS!

[rasputin]

but I like my contributor status :(
but seriously, it'd be at least November before I could make contributor again because of uni. that's like 3 months of deflated ego, I don't think I'd be able to handle it.

[Jim]

tbh i don't really care if i lose my contributor status. making it a more prestigious title is a good idea. it might encourage me to review again!!

[Altmer]

I'm still busy reviewing (though slightly less active), but sure, make me lose it and I'll try to regain it asap.

It'd be good to see some meaning injected into it.

[DFelon204409]

I liked it better when it was 'approved' status. To me contributer almost just means you've written a lot of reviews rather than making quality ones. But i suppose if we start everyone back to zero (which i think we should) than the contributer status will be awarded to those who are good reviewers rather than just regulars.

I was under the impression that contributing reviewers would be hand-selected in a much less automated way than the contributing reviewer or approved reviewer status was handed out.

As in, maybe it doesn't matter how good you are when all of the slots are full of other great writers.

[pixiesfanyo]

And to think mx doubted me when I told him that we should do this! :p
He insisted that Dave make a thread about it. I am so confident in my abilities as Assistant to de Sylvia at Sputnik Towers!

quite possibly the dorkiest thing i've ever seen.

[spoon_of_grimbo]

i've actually started reviewing more often recently, so to have contributor status taken away now would be a bit of a kick in the teeth, but hell, i'll still keep reviewing and maybe get it back with a bit of luck.

I think its a good idea but it requires people to leave comments and rate reviews if they read them. Most of mine are on not that popular bands or reggae stuff which not a lot of people read/rate so I don't know what I can improve on, so for someone like me it would be difficult to aim for contributor status because I don't get enough feedback or reads.

^ this is a good point though. i mean, compared to when i used to review more popular albums, my recent reviews have been lucky to reach the 10 comment mark (to say nothing of being spammed by chan), and way less votes. if the staff are going to personally judge reviewers' work, then this would be a fair system, but otherwise it's gonna be biased heavily towards those reviewing popular albums/agreeing with popular opinion.

[JumpTheF**kUp]

I will start reviewing again right now!

[kattunlover69]

ya im fine with it...it might encourage me to review again!

[foreverendeared]

yeah i like the idea but i also agree with this: it's gonna be biased heavily towards those reviewing popular albums/agreeing with popular opinion

[Electric City]

I don't think so. The staff/mods has/have a wide variety of tastes that covers most of the reviews that get submitted. I'm sure if the staff or mx or whoever sees a reviewer writing quality reviews, they'll be considered for the promotion.

And worse comes to worse, if one thinks they deserve contributor status but their reviews don't get a ton of traffic, they could ask the mods to get considered.

[foreverendeared]

well the only problem with that is say, you write decent reviews, but you don't get enough criticism because no one is reading your reviews or giving any constructive criticism. in that case, it will be hard to become a better writer, and in turn have a decent shot at being a contributor. take me for instance my first review wasn't all that great, but it was a popular release so i got some good constructive criticism, i then turned that criticism into a much better review, but my second review was by a band not many have heard, so the comments i have received, i pretty much had to ask for, and even then i didn't get any good feedback.

[Bronson]

bla bla bla nobody cares

[Iluvatar]

you are forgetting that criticism is just a supplemental thing. you should improve yourself over time by just realizing your own mistakes.

[south_of_heaven 11]

Do not give him false hope John.

[Channing]

i can't wait for some constructive criticism on how to use commas properly from neoteric

[Jom]

hahaha oh man low blow

[beans]

this sounds like a really good idea
im all for it

[WillieFisterbut]

I was wondering when this was finally going to happen. In the dead of night whole they sleep... Sneaky