you wrote:
“...If you have complaints about too few articles on Breaking News, start posting them yourselves...”
First of all, I can say that I have at least personal posted 2 news stories on the Free Republic before ANY regular news media got a hold on them:
* Mass Shooting at a Buffalo Super Market (5/14/22)
* Protest by Canadian Border Patrol causing mass backups and literal shutdown of the US/Canadian border (8/6/21)
Of course in both cases, I was either at or near the scene when the news broke.
With that, permission to speak freely (as long as we’re having this conversation):
I have made it a point to tell folks (usually by word of mouth about this site); mainly to folks younger than me (e.g. family members). As many did visit, they responded with some of the same complaints I have heard on this thread. So, let’s start with that has changed over the years...
1. When I first came to FR, it was the place where conservative activism was started and cultivated. If there was a protest, or major out pouring of support, it started here. Also, if there was a big news story, we could always rely on someone on the ground giving us first hand accounts of what was going on. My question to everyone: How often do you see that these days?
2. Among the complaints I have heard from casual visitors of this site is that the commenters seem too ‘old’ and too (as they called it) ‘black-pilled’. As my uber-red-pilled daughter (age 28)tells me “..I get more useful and up-to-the-minute information on Facebook and Twitter - even though they censor most of our stuff..”
That should tell you something.
When it comes to posting articles, a little advice from a person with 20+ years of media experience:
3. I see most articles posted here from 3 major sources: The American Thinker, The Daily Mail (in some form) or Drudge. Other casual visitors I sent here said the same thing. Now, I know we think most news leans left, but I can say there is more ‘gold nuggets’ of news from local news sites than from the big boys (national legacy media). Most if not all of the big news comes watered down from the AP, who sucks in news from everywhere, waters is down, and spits it back out to the masses in their own form. Trust me. I saw this with my own eyes (and finger tips) when I was [read this carefully, folks] coding the API software that allowed the Buffalo News it interact in real-time to the Associated Press.
4. The in-fighting and personal insults have become too common on this site where in the past it was not only not tolerated, but we had sort of a self-policing mechanism. But today, from covid to Ukraine, all one needs to do is stake out a position, or even post a news article, and all hell breaks loose. And Lord help you if there’s a typo in a post or a comment lest you get ‘trolled’ into eternal frustration (we won’t mention names here).
5. Referring to #2, as FR considered marketing OUTSIDE of this site? Fact is fellow Freeps, we’re all folks of a certain age, and if there is one among us getting any younger, please raise their hand. The Free Republic (read: WE) need to start bringing in newer, younger audiences before (to be blunt) we all die off if we want this thing to continue. I believe this ‘die-off’ is the primary reason we have lost some of our most precious resources (people more than $$). There are plenty of video/audio blogs out there that would gladly give FR free plugs for the cause. Have we reached out to any of them?
6. As a side, yet constructive criticism, the technology on this site could stand for a bit of an upgrade (e.g. more mobile friendly, easier to track threads, follows hot topic, etc.). I have told myself that upon my retirement, I would volunteer my time to assist with those efforts (software developer for 22 yrs and counting)
Let me conclude by saying I give this forum (The Free Republic) credit for helping to save my wife’s life (and possibly my own) during the time from May 2020 to May 2021. As one of the few non-white folks on this site, I am mature enough to move past some of the insults by posters, and see the overall good this site provides. With what’s going on in the world today, this site is more important as ever. As some of you know, I have been considering a weekly video blog that would depend a lot on what happens here, and with that , giving much credit and would promote this site.
If it took a subscription model to keep this site going, I would have no choice but to participate. Thank for giving me the opportunity to give
my $0.02.
jimjohn - OUT.
(back to outside lawn & gardening)
Your entire post is excellent! I want to take a minute to respond to the above comment since responses to my earlier posts confirm this.
Yes, I can and have posted articles but there are always a few extremely negative folks who enjoy just being ugly. Who needs that? That is why I lurk instead of post for the most part. I will commit to trying to overlook the negativity and post more articles and comments because I truly do love Free Republic!
Many good points.
Too much “drive by posting” here. Commenting without thinking. Some of that is ok, but way too much of it.
IT has changed much. We lost a lot of knowledge and thinkers.
But,
Don’t give up, pass on tradition by telling stories and experience, post and be able to defend quality posting. Encourage those that that are on target and correct those that are not.
Most here don’t even have a clue about what conservatism is. And many don’t want to know, they just want to say something.
I read and respond here to help clarify my thoughts on conservatism. Writing things down helps organize thoughts and position.
This is the place to exercise reading and thinking skills but there is much improvement needed.
We need you here, keep up the Good Work.
P.S. This is a subscription site. voluntary.
Good observations and comments.