Time for a new SCREEN-L experiment... For the next four weeks SCREEN-L will be a moderated discussion group. What this means is that all messages sent to [log in to unmask] will be filtered through a moderator before being distributed to the SCREEN-L membership. Messages that do not fit within the SCREEN-L guidelines will not be distributed and will be returned to the persons who sent them. In addition, during this trial period I will save all of the rejected messages. On December 1, I will make them available publicly. Then I will open SCREEN-L to a free, unmoderated discussion of the pros/cons of *continuing* SCREEN-L as a moderated discussion group. Hopefully we can come to some sort of consensus about the moderating of SCREEN-L at that time. The moderating process will be mostly invisible to the SCREEN-L membership. To post a message on SCREEN-L, you still address it to [log in to unmask] To reply to a post that came from SCREEN-L, you still just use your mail system's "reply" function and ship it back. The only notable difference is that each SCREEN-L message will begin with a line like the following: --------------------------original message---------------------- This gets stuck in the message when the moderator forwards it to SCREEN-L. Also, when you send in a message you get a note saying it's been sent to the SCREEN-L "editor" (i.e., the moderator)--instead of a note saying it was distributed to the membership. What types of messages will be rejected? 1. *Personal* attacks on individuals. Healthy disagreement and differing opinions are welcome, but when that disagreement turns into venomous insults and hateful verbal assaults it will not be tolerated. 2. Comments that have absolutely, totally, fundamentally *nothing* to do with the study of film or television. The study of film/TV will be interpreted *very* broadly. E.g., it's fine if someone wants to discuss Vietnam War policies and then at the end of his/her post ties it in with the films of Oliver Stone. But if a poster rambles on about the beauty of the autumn leaves in Vermont this weekend (with no reference to the semiotics of foliage in autumnal film/TV), his/her message will not be distributed. 3. Personal notes to individual SCREEN-L subscribers accidentally sent to the group. 4. LISTSERV maintenance requests inadvertently sent to SCREEN-L. In order to UNSUBSCRIBE from SCREEN-L or change anything about your subscription, you must mail a request to [log in to unmask] Often this mail gets sent to [log in to unmask] by mistake and then is distributed to the SCREEN-L membership. Moderating will prevent this. 5. Posts that duplicate information that has already appeared on SCREEN-L. If someone asks what the sled was in CITIZEN KANE, only *one* reply will be distributed. That's it. A pretty short list. I'd say about 90% of the messages that have appeared on SCREEN-L in its three years of existence would make the cut. As you may have surmised, I will be doing the moderating--unless I can con someone else into it. Messages will be processed at least once a day (though maybe not every Saturday and Sunday). So, keep an eye on SCREEN-L between now and December 1 and start thinking about whether it's better or worse as a moderated list. P.S. I'll try to make the transition to a moderated list as smooth as possible, but don't be surprised if there's a glitch or two the first week. Thanks for your patience. ---------- Percentage change, 1992-94, in NEW YORK TIMES articles mentioning the "information superhighway": plus 2,025. ---------- | Jeremy Butler - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [log in to unmask] | | SCREEN-L Coordinator | | Telecommunication & Film Dept * The University of Alabama * Tuscaloosa |