It is a truism that, when running a collaborative, interactive website such as Liberal Democrat Voice, you are bound to upset someone at some point. After all, you’re dealing with people who have views, often rather firmly held ones. Passions run high, articles are published which generate, how shall I put it, a less than entirely supportive response.
At the moment, Liberal Democrat Voice relies on the integrity of its authors and other participants, backed up by a published, signposted comments policy, to ensure that abuse is kept to a minimum, in the hope that this will encourage participation by the broadest cross-section of Liberal Democrat, and Liberal Democrat supporting, opinion. More than that, viewpoints from beyond the Party and its supporters are available, both in the form of articles (our ‘Independent View’ pieces) and via comments. Anyone complying with the comments policy, no matter how critical, can make their point.
All of this comes at a cost, of course. The server costs need to be paid, minor expenses met, Federal Conference events funded, which is where those of you generous enough to make donations come in (and thank you to all of you for your generosity!). More income arrives via advertising on the site, an issue of some controversy amongst some of our readers, it should be noted.
But nothing would happen at all without the volunteer team that runs Liberal Democrat Voice. I emphasise the word ‘volunteer’, as it is core to the way that things work. The team are unpaid and all have jobs, or families, or lives, or a combination of each. They care deeply about the site, and about how it can fulfil any one of a number of possible roles – sometimes rolling news, sometimes debating chamber for ideas.
That leads to occasional debate about how the site might best serve its ‘customers’ – a word that, I admit, does leave me a bit cold sometimes. And, following one of those sessions, it has been decided that, as an experiment, Liberal Democrat Voice will introduce the position of Readers’ Editor, someone to deal with complaints and corrections, who might, from time to time, initiate debate on aspects of the running of the site, and potentially make recommendations to the Editorial Team.
And so, it is with great pleasure a degree of trepidation that I take on the role, with immediate effect. I hope to be able to address concerns as dispassionately as I can, whilst enabling the Editorial Team to get on with their core task of writing, editing and sourcing material to inform, entertain and otherwise stimulate you, gentle reader.
We’ll set up the necessary infrastructure over the coming days and see how it goes…
* Mark Valladares is a bureaucrat. That doesn’t necessarily make him a bad person, but you ought to be warned, just in case…
7 Comments
Who are you callling gentle? 😛
Thanks. I think this is a good idea.
How are “complaints and corrections” to be directed to the Readers’ Editor?
Jennie,
Oh, but you are really… 😉
David,
My expectation is that we’ll set up an e-mail address and perhaps a page like that for the comments policy. All of this should happen over the coming week.
Dear Sir,
I wish to complain. Why oh why oh why has Mr Valladares not been doing this for years ? Yours faith fully, Disgusted of Cambridge.
(NB The above was written in green ink and underlined twice)
Good luck, Mark !
David: masterfully done. I especially like the jarring misplaced space in faithfully 🙂
Mark: I genuinely think you’re the perfect person for this. You remain calm and sanguine in the face of almost overwhelming stupidity (sometimes from me; )) far past the point where most people would go postal. I hope your boundaries of sanity aren’t pushed too much by this.
*hug*
Dear Mr Grace,
Thank you for your kind words although, if I may be so bold, the RANDOM inclusion of CAPITAL LETTERS might enhance the efficacy of your communication. We could discuss the matter further over a small libation should you be in Glasgow next week…
Jennie,
That’s very kind of you, and I would be grateful for any thoughts that you might have. I am looking at your earlier suggestions… * hug *