topic Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards in TV and Movies

IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

AuntG — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:08:06 GMT

This movie and television site is a favorite of mine. Just went out there to read up on a TV show that we got on DVD. They have an announcement that their boards will be shut down on Feb 17. Sure, I'll still use IMBD, but an important part will soon be missing.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:16:10 GMT

@AuntG

Where on the site did you see this? Just went to read about it and it's nowhere to be found.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Barbara-QVC — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:17:58 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because it is soliciting.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

sandraskates — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:19:30 GMT

@Tinkrbl44- pick a message board on IMDB and there is a pretty big paragraph announcing it. Their plan is take discussions to social media sites - which IMO is too cumberson.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

PurpleBunny — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:27:30 GMT

BUMMER! I reference those all the time!!! There is always someone talking about whatever I am looking for!! NOT a happy bunny ...

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

sandraskates — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 01:30:21 GMT

There is an online petition to save those boards. Try going to the Twilight Zone message board and you'll find a post with a link.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

segrl21 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 02:03:08 GMT

The boards are the only reason I visit IMDB. So this makes me sad. There have been rumors they were going to do it. There is no other reason really except to occasionally look up ages. They say because of traffic number they have decided to shut it down. Think they realize not everyone who visits IMDB to look at boards posts. Laughing at their excuse that people are posting this stuff on their social media. No no one is unless they are young cakes with no sense in what they should or shouldn't post on their social media. Seriously does any of your friends on their social media talk indepth about a movie or show?

There is a petition if you really think it will make a difference

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Andreatoo — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 02:43:30 GMT

Rotten Tomatoes is pretty great too if you haven't been there

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

AuntG — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 03:19:14 GMT

Personally I don't think they wanted to monitor them anymore. There were a lot of inappropriate comments that had to be deleted.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

sandraskates — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 04:15:13 GMT

@Andreatoo While the Rotten Tomatoes website is pretty good, I tried what on IMDB would be 3 very popular forums and RT had nothing at all posted in them. :-(

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

culebra — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 06:53:20 GMT

I am disappointed that they are shutting down the message boards. I like to read the comments and occasionally post. I hope they do not remove the personal review section. I like to read them after I have seen a movieb - especially the Oscar bait movies.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

gardenman — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 11:58:41 GMT

Quite a few discussion forums have shut down in recent years. There have been rumors forever that Amazon was closing theirs down. I'm not sure most of the companies use discussion forums to their full potential. Both at Amazon and here, it would be easy for the mods to insert ads/links for items being discussed in the discussions to make it easy for posters to find and buy the item being discussed.

There's a lot of wasted space to the sides on this forum that could be filled in with ads for products/items being discussed. If a thread is about Sleep Number mattresses (a fairly common topic of discussion on these forums) then slip in a link/ad for the Sleep Number beds on that page. It could be done subtly and the mods are always here. Why not have a series of ads for common products sold at QVC in the hands of the mods to insert as seen fit?

A simple link and a post by the mods saying something like, "Here's a link to the Sleep Number beds if anyone's interested." could help increase sales and make the forum into more of a tool for sales. Tracking the clicks generated by such posts is possible and could show that the forums are indeed a valuable resource to be exploited.

Forums tend to draw hundreds/thousands of eyes and it's kind of silly not to use them to move products. Fake discussions generated by the mods just to generate sales are a disaster waiting to happen, but on established forums like this one and the Amazon forums the regulars are well known and any post originating from a regular could then have ads/links inserted if appropriate.

I've always found it a waste of the forums not to exploit them in this manner. Make it easy for those reading the forums to find the items being discussed in a single click. Heck, maybe give a 5% discount or free/reduced shipping if the purchase is made through that link. None of this stuff is hard, or overly complicated and it would all likely increase sales. That's why the forums exist is to increase sales, so why not exploit them further?

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Shelbelle — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 15:30:56 GMT

I go to IMDB all the time for info, , but never read their boards, so it does not upset me.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Andreatoo — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 15:33:17 GMT

@sandraskates

Join and start the topic!

I used to frequent their boards but I haven't in quite some time....

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

sandraskates — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 05:10:58 GMT

@Andreatoo- it wouldn't surprise if there is a mass migration to the RT boards if IMDB goes through with their shutdown.

The petition is on it's way to 7000 sigs.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

VaBelle35 — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 10:28:19 GMT

Many forums have shut down or have become so heavily moderated that no one posts there anymore.

The first one was Television Without Pity. They had a system where you got a warning on your account and then 3 strikes or something. I remember getting a warning because I posted something about QVC and apparently you couldn't post spoilers, so you couldn't post about QVC if the "show" was still airing.

Previously.tv was started by original TWoP people, but it is so complicated to post there. Each "show" have a set of threads and you have to post on the correct thread or they move it or delete it. For example, the Morning Joe forum has a thread to just discuss Mika, one for Joe, one for "guests", and then the daily show re-cap.

Chow Hound became heavily moderated as well. Mainly due to the Food Network host bashing.

Weight Watchers took their forums private, so you have to be a paying member to participate.

Re: IMDB Shutting Down Its Boards

Nightowlz — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 17:18:11 GMT

IMDB site will still be online. They are only removing their Message Boards. The message can be found on their message boards.