David Bodycombe’s stepping down from running UKGameshows.com after what must be the best part of twenty years. Do YOU want to run it?
After more years that I’m willing to admit, I’m looking to step down from editorship of UKGameshows.com.
This is mainly for the good of the site because our viewership growth is largely flat, and we should look to refresh our brand in the way that Buzzerblog and new rival sites like Gameshow Central have. However, I think I’ve taken the site as far as my skills and time permit.
In the immediate term, the new editor would not particularly need to do much other than overseeing the site occasionally. Longer term, there are a number of areas where I think we could improve:
0) Most importantly, due to the growth in the number of formats these days, we probably need more new blood to keep the site going. We haven’t done enough to encourage new joiners.
1) There is no real system for tracking new formats, and ensuring that they get a write-up, have publicity pictures added etc. A lot of current formats just have placeholders.
2) A number of well-known shows currently have rather scant content that could be improved.
3) The overall site could do with a design refresh – certainly the front page.
4) Our procedures such as backups needs looking at again.
5) There is the longer-term question of what role the site should play in the age of Wikipedia, since that site often contains MORE information about programmes than we have ourselves.
Fees from adverts (just about) pay for the running of the server, and so I would suggest keeping the status quo of that arrangement unless the new editor particularly wishes to find an alternative provider.
If anyone wishes to apply, please could you let me know via davidbod@hotmail.com with a short paragraph of your intentions.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank:
– Jeremy Rogers, whose original list of shows made the initial site possible
– Chris M. Dickson, for allowing me to basically hijack his original page
– Nick Gates, for many of the early reviews
– Jenny Turner and Iain Weaver, for many years of contributing
– Will Jones and Tom Scott, for vital technical help
– And finally, all the many volunteers who have added to the sum of knowledge since the site became a wiki.
Thanks and best wishes,
David J. Bodycombe
End of an era. Ideally there should be several people show an interest who should be eliminated through various Apprentice style challenges etc.
No I’m not going for it, as you’ve doubtless gathered I’m very much function over form with this sort of thing and it’s hard enough sourcing content here a lot of the time. However the end of year polls will still continue, hopefully still as a collaboration, so don’t worry about that. If you think you’ve got what it takes, go for it!
Concerning point 3, should the website’s design be altered so all users (desktop, tablet and smartphone) don’t have to scroll horizontally, regardless the window size?
Come to think of it, given that there were all-time polls on 2002, 2006 and 2010, is it that time again?
Let’s wait and see the lie of the land post-Bodycombe, certainly unless someone else wants to do it it’s going to be a lot of effort in the post social media world (it would need to be collated like we do the yearly polls now with comments for each show) that I don’t have time for right this minute. An extra year probably won’t hurt.
Hopeful the new owner will improve the site, since it badly needs updating, I know a few people including myself who have tried to send in information or join and NEVER got a word back.
This has been 4 years in the making.