Here are some positive thoughts I would like to share on this post. For clarity, there are no sides being taken.
Before Neil and Diane came onto the scene, I can recall DC1 going to great lengths with his bosses in trying to start off this forum. He was meet with great resistance at the time. Countless arguments over the span of a year, but finally this forum was born, thanks to his perseverance. The site has grown in popularity thanks to all the contributors over time, to a very strong global position (rank) of around 152,000, and U.K. rank of around 9,000. If we consider the likes of google, microsoft, etc, being in the top 10 for global ranking in terms of popularity, the positions stated for this site are really great, and hopefully they will continue to improve. DC1 should pat himself on the back for being the key person in starting this forum, and I hope he is happy and proud of how it has developed.
I wonder about what would have happened to the magazines if this forum was not formed?. Where would the excitement have come from?… the type of excitement which would bring the magazines to peoples attention, encouraging new readers, contributors, be it for digital or print?
The more the site increases in popularity, the more the interest and controversy… all good publicity.
The link which MG gave to a thread earlier, is a great example. Yes DC1 fell victim to publishing a ghost writers letter without checking. Yes I was peed off at the time. To his credit, DC1 allowed me to make my feelings heard on this forum, even though a lot of negativity on the post was about his error. I am grateful. The positive outcome of that thread was an improvement of sales for ARC…So all good.
For the record, I have had similar run-ins with Neil as well as Diane, where I have felt very strongly about what they had allowed to be published. I agree that each editor brings their own personality and ability to the magazine, and I accept that they have their own opinion and their own way of doing things. It is all good. I am grateful to them too for allowing me to voice my response.
The point of this thread was 'errors' pointed out by 'a person'. Yes, I know it led to 'pot/kettle/black'. If we were to keep personal issues aside, how would we have reacted if 'Fred Blogs' would have raised this post?… as I said earlier, I am not taking sides here, but we have to appreciate that DC1 has as much right to raise an issue as I or you do, regardless of his, my, editors or anyone else personal issues/past.
I am sure that the positive outcome of this thread will be:
a. Improved site ranking as more people come across this thread and read it.
b. encourage new readers to buy or subscribe to either titles.
Ketan at ARC.