How does one become a moderator on ET

[Tarn Stephanos]

I'm curious how the moderators on ET were/are chosen-I'm very impressed with the selections btw..I really like how some of the moderators, like Jason and Michael are very involved with discussions on multiple threads- Did Phil offer you the positions, or did you volunteer? If it's too personal a question, my apologies...I'm just curious.. I would assume some of you have past moderator experience, as you handle the position superbly...
2 other message boards I used to frequent had different methods of picking moderators-One would ask for volunteers- the other would offer the moderator spots to chosen individuals. I'm curious how they are chosen on ET...

Whatever the formula is-it works-I've seen message boards where some moderators let their power go to their head, and squelch any and all dissent- i haven't seen that here..

A few years ago I used to be one of the moderators on the official Doors website messageboard. Over there a person was pmed an invite for a moderator spot- People who offered to volunteer to moderate (without having been contacted first) were usually denied the chance, unless they were invited.
..A hectic work schedule at the time resulted in my being dethroned..ah well...

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Did Phil offer you the positions, or did you volunteer?<<

Kind of like (C), all of the above. Phil made the call after asking for volunteers. I was just one of the people who offered to help out when asked.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Thanks for the info Michael...

Well, if Phil ever needs another moderator, tell him to give me a shout-I'm available- Im a lifelong Titanic buff, on ET every day, would love to help ET in any way, and have past moderator experience..
If not, I'm just as happy being on my side of the looking glass, starting threads, and responding to other threads......

 

[Mark Baber]

I'm curious how the moderators on ET were/are chosen

I think I was drugged.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Chloroformed, bound and put aboard a freighter to China- it was a slow boat.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

That sounds like fun!

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hi Tarn,

quote:

Did Phil offer you the positions, or did you volunteer?

Same thing occurred for me, as with Mike. I volunteered as soon as Phil put out the call for assistance.

quote:

I would assume some of you have past moderator experience, as you handle the position superbly...

Thank you, that's very much appreciated.​

 

[George L. Lorton]

Hello Tarn-

Why don't you just E-mail Philip Hind and ask or volunteer. Couldn't hurt. He might not know of your interest in moderating the board. Phil is a busy fella.

 

[John Clifford]

Tarn, I'm sure Phil would like having another Moderator for the Board.

I think you just need to remember the basics:
1. RECOGNITION: HIGH
2. COMPLAINTS: MULTIPLE
3. AGGRAVATION: LOTS
4. PRAISE: POSSIBLY 'NIL'
5. HEADACHES: LIKELY MANY
6. DEALING WITH 'CRAZY' POSTERS: ENDLESS
and
7. BEING ABLE TO SAY "I'M A MODERATOR!!": "PRICELESS"

(Can we possibly use this for a MasterCard commercial??)

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Well,having been a moderator over at the Doors message board (on their official website) was a similar experience- Most regulars there are hardcore Doors fans and Doors memorobillia & rare bootleg collectors. Some people posting could be pretty mean spirited to the moderators, as threads that devolved from debates to fights had to be closed- Some board regulars griped their free speech was being stifled, etc..
Then there was the daily challenge of merging the countless array of redundant threads.....Overall though- the Doors message board and most of its regulars are great, and casual fans, the band manager, old friends of Jim Morrison, hardcore collectors,former groupies, etc are regulars there..There are one or two nutcases over there, but its the same wherever you go...

Here on ET we have a great crop of people.....
Anyway, I did pop Phil an email that I'd love to volunteer to moderate, if he can use me..

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>BEING ABLE TO SAY "I'M A MODERATOR!!": "PRICELESS"<<

I don't know about that. Most of the crazies have made me want to run for cover in a shelter designed to withstand an all out nuclear attack! Same for my colleagues but we still have to deal with it and we do.

>>Some people posting could be pretty mean spirited to the moderators, as threads that devolved from debates to fights had to be closed-<<

Goes with the territory. Keep in mind that it's not a popularity contest. We occasionally have to take the hard line on certain issues and it's often a tightrope as well. You don't want to act in haste and swinging the axe on a thread or a member...even a disruptive one...is the court of last resort. Act too slow, you lose friends. Act too quickly, same issue, and some of us have lost friends doing this work.

Moderating certainly has it's rewards but for anyone who wants to volunteer...if/when Phil decides he needs an extra hand or two...be careful as it also has a price which you may find to be too high.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

"if/when Phil decides he needs an extra hand or two...be careful as it also has a price which you may find to be too high."


Now I'm curious..I suspect it would involve having to step away from the more heated threads, and take an objective stand...
Plus I do know being a moderator on most message boards involves a great deal of time- You have to be available and active on the site every day...

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Now I'm curious..I suspect it would involve having to step away from the more heated threads, and take an objective stand... <<

Something like that and I make no pretence whatever in being perfect in that regard. Sometimes I've had to step away from some threads because I was too embroiled in some of them and the same has happened to the rest of us at one time or another. That's one of the reasons we have multiple hands in the first place. Where one of us can't be objective, the others can.

>>Plus I do know being a moderator on most message boards involves a great deal of time- You have to be available and active on the site every day...<<

Wellllllll...yes...but it's not quite as bad as you might think. By and large, most of the longtime members are mature and responsible adults who conduct themselves as such, and that makes it possible for us to pretty much leave well enough alone. A very fortunate happenstance as none of us can monitor the board 24/7.

Occasionally however, we do have blowups and barn burners. I'd go to work only to come home to see that a certain thread had just gone berzerk. Often as not, one of us would be the Johnny-Come-Lately to the party and there was little we could do except try to pick up the pieces.

 

[Jason Schleisman]

quote:

Often as not, one of us would be the Johnny-Come-Lately to the party and there was little we could do except try to pick up the pieces.

"Molly sure knew what she was doin' when she made this place red - the blood don't show!" ~The Unsinkable Molly Brown​

 

[George L. Lorton]

Molly always knows what she's Doin'. How many Mods do we have anyway?

 

[John Clifford]

George, the answer is we have four moderators.

Tarn and I would be interested in joining the ranks, if we are needed.

The only thing we would need to know is when you absolutely, positively, MUST close a discussion, either because the issue is being carried in another thread (that happened regarding the discussions about the deaths of Lillian Asplund and Barbara West Dainton) or because the discussions become too heated (The Branson Exhibit was "a whopper").
This is not something anyone prefers to deal with.

If my comments are in any ways untrue, my apologies.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

"Tarn and I would be interested in joining the ranks, if we are needed."


I think you'd be an excellent moderator John- You are a long time regular, know your Titanic up and down, and are pleasant with your fellow ET members....

I'd love to mod, but if it doesn't happen-no worries- I'm here every day anyway...

I noticed some threads that are redundant are sometimes spiced onto an older thread covering the same topic....I like that idea- Seeing 6 threads covering the same exact topic can be a tad annoying..

I am a bit surprised resolved threads on the 'marketplace' section haven't been closed or deleted- I sold a few items, and my old postes are still there, even though I indicated the items had sold....

In regards to threads that become heated-ET members seem very level headed compared to other messageboards I've seen- There have been some strong disagreements, and threads that certainly warrented closure- and were closed. Ive seen nothing here that could compare to the venom of the fights that used to break out on one of the titanic lists..Most people here seem to respect one another, and know there are lines not to cross- I've yet to see threats or blatent profanity on ET..
ET is a good place, and granted there are the occasional bumps in the road, but we have a great community of some truly dedicated Titanic buffs.

 

[Mark Baber]

I am a bit surprised resolved threads on the 'marketplace' section haven't been closed or deleted

Look here.

 

[George L. Lorton]

is a good place indeed compared to some sites.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>The only thing we would need to know is when you absolutely, positively, MUST close a discussion,<<

John, I'm afraid there's no easy answer to that one. It's a judgement call you have to make knowing that while some will be thrilled to death that it's closed, other may want to put you to death for closing their playground.

It's not something I like doing but if the thread has degenerated so far that there's no hope of recovery and deletions are a pointless exercise in futility, I'll do it.

Something else you have to be prepared to deal with is from time to time, you have to suspend an account and/or ban somebody. This is not something we do lightly. It's the court of absolute last resort when everything else has been tried and failed. Some would argue that we're a bit too reluctant to take this step and they may be right, but the alternative is to be too eager, and I'd rather not go in that direction.