Section activity inquiry

A couple people have already touched on this a bit, but a problem for me with sections like C&M is visibility.

So here's what I suggest: events of some kind. Just look at Video Games has been doing. I get regular notices at the top of my page drawing me to some new event or another going on in the Video Games section. Before these kind of things, I never really gave Video Games more than a passing glance. But because they actively draw my attention, I actually at least read over/consider joining the events because it's the first thing I saw when I logged on.

It's like was said, people are interested in movies/music/whatever, but perhaps it isn't the first thing they think of when they log on.
 
Yeah, events seem to be everyone's favorite in all the non-Pokemon forums. I'm pretty sure when VG was the deadest of dead sections, I recall there having no events at all, but look at it now, possibly tied for the most active section in PC with Chit Chat Cafe General Chat :x

Also, I think it also counts the dedication put in the section, how the atmosphere seems so lively. See, in just about one year or so, VG became from deadbeat bush to one of the most awesome places in PC.

Maybe ask your regulars as well if they want to see something in C&M that they would like, I'm sure they will reply nicely ^^
 
i certainly wouldn't question david's level of dedication to the section, considering he's been there longer than anyone else and has tried numerous events that just don't take
though he's been on his lonesome for that entire time and is usually quite busy so organising events must be a hassle
 
When I started becoming active in PokéAni in like 2010/11, there was a problem I kind of noticed and that was that PClubs had a lot of anime-centric clubs. Why were they there? Why were they not in PokéAni? From what I recall, it was because the nature of Clubs dictated that amongst the people involved, there wasn't much for disagreement. Clubs were places where people who all loved the subject matter could get together and talk about their fav aspects. If you put a thread about adoring May in PokéAni even when there were less hateful regulars, you would always get dissenters and arguments. Forget Shipping Debates, dedicated Clubs were a much better way to share your shipping fantasies without being shot down immediately.

I think people prefer to discuss with others who have the same mindset and opinions when they're talking about things they really like. They'd rather not have to deal with the arguments and critical analysis when they really just want to have a casual chat about things they enjoy. And that's where PClubs and FC&G come out on top of PokéAni and C&M. It's a, a 'safer' environment and you're guaranteed to be talking to people who enjoy and are committed to the topic at hand.

Countering that mindset is difficult. We can do section events, but so can club owners. And it don't always work tbh- there are a lot of clubs with more regulars than the entirety of PokéAni and from what you're sayin that's true of C&M as well and it's hard to attract more people if the regulars ain't down for it. People don't come in if they don't see others leading the parade, showing how it's done and whatever. My ideal approach is just... continue promoting a casual, kind environment. Keep pushing activity. It helps if you drag a few friends in as well to help you out. The goal for me is to create a comfortable atmosphere were people don't shy away from just talking. Not even serious discussion, just casual chatting about the topic at hand.

C&M for me personally is rather difficult, because I'm not one to keep with the times. I don't go to the movies, I don't watch TV really, I'm never up to date on music, I don't care about sports. I read, but it's all... old stuff lmao the last thing I read was The Time Machine. I'd love to talk about it but who the hell is going to talk about it with me? I don't have the confidence to make topics that I'm unsure about haha. I don't like to see things die; I don't like to fail. That's why trying to drag PokéAni back was so hard for me; no matter what I tried it didn't work. I hate that so much. But ya gotta keep going.

Scanning through the thread here (god y'all talk a lot), I just wanna make a few comments on things I've seen.
- While splitting C&M up with subforums seems like a good idea for organizational purposes, I just think it will end up making everything look sad. If anything, limit subforums to like, Books, Music, TV&Film.
- Merging FC&G with C&M is a horrendous idea. Club culture is alive and well and let's not destroy that lol. Instead, let's get C&M culture a kickstart.
- C&M isn't that visible. afaik when people browse the index, they a) start from the top and hit up what they find interesting, b) start from the bottom and stay in the general discussions area, or c) go directly to their preferred sections. I don't think PC members really browse once they settle, and C&M isn't really in a place that catches the eye.
- Megan, FC&G has a hell of a lot to do with C&M sry it just does.
- I don't think that FC&G specifically encourages a more in-depth discussion. I think it's more that the hardcore fans who join clubs for things are the type of people to go deeper into the subject matter. Honestly it's just a matter of taking that enthusiasm and willingness to discuss into C&M as well. Not everything has a fanclub, but most everything has fans. Let's get 'em talking, yeah? It's about promoting that idea that it's okay to love things a lot and to go on a rant about stuff even if not everyone does.
- Asking regulars for feedback and ideas ain't gonna get you shit if you don't have more than like ten js.

bottom line: preferred tactic to get more people in a section is to rope ya friends in to help you boost activity and visibility until more people show up (right Tara/Shawn/Donny/Janna/etc?)
 
Personally, I'm just never very interested in the threads that appear in that section. I love the "What Are You Listening To?" thread since it is a great way to discover new music, give a quick opinion and also share music you love.

More community events that could possibly draw member in could be helpful. Sadly though, I suspect that a lot of users are just like me and aren't finding topics they enjoy there. I know that in the Feedback and Suggestions section there is currently a discussion going on about adding a Reviews sub-forum of tag - I think that might be an excellent way to go about creating more activity in the section. Allow users to post reviews for assorted media and encourage people to share their own opinions and debate over what the OP says. It works for D&D, it could work for C&M too, especially if events draw more people in.

The only issue with a reviews section is that it could possibly mess up a few blogs.
 
I can't respond to everyone's individual thoughts because there's quite a lot of different things going on in this thread. I won't pretend to have a solution to every problem, but hopefully nobody expects me to have all the answers. In fact, these "problems" aren't really problems with solutions. If someone doesn't see anything they want to reply to, they're not going to post. I understand that and I can't change it. However, what I think I can do is to maybe help people out as far as figuring out whether or not if the section is for them from the start. I'm of a firm belief when people skim the index, they might glance right over "Culture & Media" because the name is kind of vague. The same problem was prominent with "General Entertainment" and that, along with a multitude of other related reasons regarding the focal point of the section, is why I renamed it.

So I think it might be a good move to further define the section's purpose by its name. The term "culture" in the title is very broad and ambiguous and allows for varied topics, but the community isn't really interested in them because Fan Clubs & Groups is a catchall for stuff that could fit under this moniker. Now, I'm interested in pinpointing exactly what the section's regulars love most and run with it in an attempt to appeal to the crowd that it draws - music, television, and film. Well, more specifically, music and film, but there's sooome television interest there. Unfortunately, what we'd be losing in a transition like this are things like comic books, literature, and fashion, but maybe those things aren't very popular right now anyway. They could still thrive in FC&G or GC, I'm sure, but it's not like they're hits in C&M, so we aren't REALLY losing anything, perse.

But that's just an idea I'm throwing around. Nothing final yet - that will unfortunately have to be reserved for the staff forum. However, I'd like to know what you guys think about changing focus so that the section showcases itself as a place for music/movies/television/maybe pop culture in general (Pop Culture would be such a straightforward name but maybe just as ambiguous as Culture & Media?) and if that would be a positive initiative or non-beneficial/negative.
 
tbh +1 for the C&M rebrand. I hope there would be cool events when the rebrand occurs. Pop Culture also seems the way to go too :3
 
I don't really go into a lot of sections anymore, even Video games. But I guess FC&G does take a little chunk. But I agree with having some banner activity on the main pc, like a album/tv show/movie/book of the year, or a major new movie release.

I think one main reason I don't go in there a lot is because I don't watch/listen to a majority of music and movies that most do, and spoilers because I usually wait so long on movies, and sometimes tv shows, so by then the discussion is probably dead by the time I get to it.
 
As I've been back only a few days I haven't really been around and about much, I'm setting my feet and regaining my bearings of the forum...

Which leads me to a point that may have basis (it may not and just be me haha). Well, to start with, new members will join mostly because there is a board they have seen that they feel they could engage in and would stimulate them to talk about. Considering the forum is the PokéCommunity, most new members will likely want to discuss Pokémon. However, I seem to remember that it became very easy just to sit around in these few places I was comfy in, and not scout the other forums. I almost forgot they existed. It took actively looking for new boards and topics to drive me out of this habit, to move somewhere else.

Of course, what I've put here seems to counteract the idea of people not posting. But I remember also being so active on here that I became bored after a while, and wanted to find something else. Perhaps, in the flurry of excitement (I sound so idealistic here XD) the new members post in their selected boards, get bored and want to find something else to do? I don't really know too well. All the other theories sound better than mine. It sounded good in my head XD
 
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