Staff Re-shuffle

[sundayx Veteran]

I think there needs to be an announcement about what happened, at least so that members like me will know if there are changes to the site and community that I need to worry about, maybe tell us what's changed, let us know how we can help, just a thought.

[Subject Delta]

Wow that's quiet some exodus.

[Sam Symons Veteran]

..I'm still here <3

[FlishFun Veteran]

..I'm still here <3

:heart: We know Sam... :wub:

[tomwarren Veteran]

I think there needs to be an announcement about what happened, at least so that members like me will know if there are changes to the site and community that I need to worry about, maybe tell us what's changed, let us know how we can help, just a thought.

Thanks for the concern. I don't want to talk individually about people's reasons but some have felt the urge to leave, some left because others had left and others left for entirely separate reasons. There's nothing to worry about, Neowin will still be here tomorrow and the day after it's just a slight change in the amount of staff we have. Some will be replaced, others won't.

[Subject Delta]

Although I don't expect people's personal drama to be made public, it is a bit worrying as a member that such apparently small changes could prompt such a large number of good people to leave. Whatever the reasons though good luck to all of you in your future endavours (Y)

[Calum Veteran]

Neowin can only continue to be a success! It's our members who make us and you're a great community, so keep it up :)

[vincent]

Frank

Marshalus

Shane Pitman

AgEnTsMiTh

Eric

DirtyLarry

shockz

Triliaeris

have all been set to veteran.

AgentSmith, and DirtyLarry,? NOOOO!

[GCNaddict]

Although I don't expect people's personal drama to be made public, it is a bit worrying as a member that such apparently small changes could prompt such a large number of good people to leave. Whatever the reasons though good luck to all of you in your future endavours (Y)

The change wasn't exactly small.

Anyway, don't stress over it. Neowin won't change in the short term, but they'll have to start looking for people to recruit to replace the lost talent.

[what]

Thanks for the concern. I don't want to talk individually about people's reasons but some have felt the urge to leave, some left because others had left and others left for entirely separate reasons. There's nothing to worry about, Neowin will still be here tomorrow and the day after it's just a slight change in the amount of staff we have. Some will be replaced, others won't.

Or will it? :shiftyninja:

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

This isn't said with malicious intent, but can be removed if speculation isn't wanted. I can only assume certain members retired if the word is correct about Neowin axing the gaming news (just keeping "main" articles or whatever that means). Some people were brought in especially for that as it was made out to be quite the big deal, now a complete 180 on it.

Whatever the case best of luck to everyone involved, those who have retired, and the new staff.

[Vice]

Frank

Marshalus

Shane Pitman

AgEnTsMiTh

Eric

DirtyLarry

shockz

Triliaeris

have all been set to veteran.

:| That is a lot of staff leaving some big names there that we have all seen frequently around the forum especially Frank, Shane Pitman, Agentsmith and DirtyLarry. Where have they gone are they going to ArsTechnica like Slimy?

[+M2Ys4U Subscriber¹]

The change wasn't exactly small.

Anyway, don't stress over it. Neowin won't change in the short term, but they'll have to start looking for people to recruit to replace the lost talent.

What is the change anyway?

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

What is the change anyway?

Good question. Whatever changes were announced in the staff area must be drastic - otherwise there wouldn't have been such an exodus of a lot of senior staff.

Mind you, Marshalus and Shane Pitman were the ones turning Neowin from a mainly copy/paste-based news site to a well respected news site in its own right. There have to have happened some drastic developments for them to resign.

It would be great if the administrators shed some more light on what really happened, and which changes affecting us as members are to come.

Edit: A comment like 'what happened is none of your concern. Now go about your business, things will be fine.' won't do. The amount of resignations in one day as well as the fact that long-time, loyal staff members have resigned is too much to remain unexplained.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Mephistopheles

[Subject Delta]

The change wasn't exactly small.

Anyway, don't stress over it. Neowin won't change in the short term, but they'll have to start looking for people to recruit to replace the lost talent.

The only change I immediately noticed was putting tom in as Admin, but I am not stressing over it I just find it strange that so many high level staff members felt they needed to leave.

[Miuku.]

I just find it strange that so many high level staff members felt they needed to leave.

"Nothing breeds fear like uncertainty. And nothing fuels uncertainty like a lack of information".

Seriously though, it would be nice to know. Did Microsoft buy out Neowin? /gasp. Rumours! ;)

[Richard Hammond]

What irritates me is the attitude of the staff talking down to people like they dont need to know.

The only reason i come to Neowin is for the forums and the staff that manage the forums and several very likeable staff members have resigned, i would like to know why and wether the reason they were fired or resigned is going to affect my stay as a member of the community.

[The Teej]

****, I log in and there's a mass exodus out of nowhere. Chances are, if there's new changes around Neowin that prompted this "reshuffle", then we'll find out about it fairly soon. I mean, if it is that, then the change will have to happen eventually.

[Brad.]

Damn, that really is a lot of staff being set to veteran, they deserve the veteran badge but most of them were my favorite mods (and PureLegend, of course ;))

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

What irritates me is the attitude of the staff talking down to people like they dont need to know.

The only reason i come to Neowin is for the forums and the staff that manage the forums and several very likeable staff members have resigned, i would like to know why and wether the reason they were fired or resigned is going to affect my stay as a member of the community.

Amen to that.

[Veedems Veteran]

To clairfy the little I know: No one was fired. The people who left did so on their own accord, but made that choice because they no longer felt like they could operate within the system that's set up.

Personally, though, if I hadn't stepped down a month or so ago, I would have done so yesterday. It's too complex of a situation to discuss while omitting key details out of respect for the site. This is more complicated than the mini implosion we had a few years ago within the ranks.

[the andyman Veteran]

What irritates me is the attitude of the staff talking down to people like they dont need to know.

The only reason i come to Neowin is for the forums and the staff that manage the forums and several very likeable staff members have resigned, i would like to know why and wether the reason they were fired or resigned is going to affect my stay as a member of the community.

They resigned, weren't fired. There was a slight catalyst effect though (please don't take that out of context). As far as I know not everyone left for the same reasons so if you want to know why someone left I'm afraid you'll have to ask them yourself, although it's up to them whether they want to reply and I doubt you'd receive a response. Just remember that personal issues deserve to stay that: personal and private.

I hope this helps to quell any speculation or rumours. I know a lot of you want "answers" and this was obviously a fairly major occurrence. As far as I'm concerned you guys deserve to know something but you deserve to hear that from people higher up than me.

[KoL Veteran]

Congrats Tom (Y) (Y)

Sad to see a lot of great staff members go. :(

[Garry]

I see what happened here. Neobond threatened to introduce a budget cap of ?40m which the new Vets weren't happy with. After several meetings trying to find a compromise, they've now resigned and are off to start a breakaway series?;))

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

To clairfy the little I know: No one was fired. The people who left did so on their own accord, but made that choice because they no longer felt like they could operate within the system that's set up.

Personally, though, if I hadn't stepped down a month or so ago, I would have done so yesterday. It's too complex of a situation to discuss while omitting key details out of respect for the site. This is more complicated than the mini implosion we had a few years ago within the ranks.

Therefore it surely has to be attached to Neowin's relations to Stardock/Microsoft and/or any other affiliated companies/members of staff?

The minute people start saying "out of respect for the site" when it's the users/readers that ultimately make the site means it's probably behind the scenes business/politics.

Some things may be better left unsaid in "fear" of the board members starting a rant/blowing things out of proportion or whatever [or if they're truly private matters], but there's gotta be a bit more transparency for us to know why so many people stepped down. If it's not from being "fired", that's actually more concerning as people who've given months/years and countless hours to the board left at their own will over something that's changed/changing. If some of the staff were asked to step down then at least you'd know they still wanted to write for/moderate the site, but couldn't continue for certain matters out with their control.

As I said above I've only heard about gaming news being axed/cut back, which I think may have affected some mods/news writers views [those who've spent their time heavily involved in Neowin's gaming sector].

If one or two people stepped down you could understand it more (any time there is change there's a chance for some people to disagree). But 8 large names...

Frank

Marshalus

Shane Pitman

AgEnTsMiTh

Eric

DirtyLarry

shockz

Triliaeris

DL surprises me the most as I'm from the GH, he gave his soul to that section, seemed so pumped about getting the news team/overhaul for the main site, then bam. Would probably explain him going from News Staff back to mod, then ultimately retired. Any other day I could've put him retiring down to us gamers age-ing him 20 years with all the GH drama over the past few years.... :laugh:

Edited June 28, 2009 by Audioboxer