Argh, news item spoilers (Gateworld frontpage spoilers)

[DigiFluid]

I know this is an ongoing complaint, but with recent news articles I felt it needed re-iteration:

Can you guys (GW!) please please please start posting casting news a bit more vaguely/or at least not in the headlines/single-sentence blurbs? For example:

Good:


UNACCEPTABLE!

Spoiler:

"Later this season" is good, fine. It says she's coming back, but not saying when. The second example gives away stuff about upcoming episodes that I did not want to know before watching them.

[Darren]

Per GateWorld's spoiler policy, casting is not considered a spoiler. If you consider it to be so, I can only suggest staying off the Internet altogether.

[Skydiver]

Like Darren said, THAT they are going to be in the show/episode, not a spoiler. What they're gonna do in it, that is a spoiler.

[DigiFluid]

I think that's a policy that seriously demands re-examination. How is it ever supposed to be a pleasant surprise for Gateworlders if it's getting posted in the blurb on the front page of the site.

I don't know....I just don't think it's asking a lot to limit it to "casting announcement for 'episode title'" or (as above) "Amanda Tapping to appear later this season!". You know what I mean?

[Pharaoh Atem]

how's that a spoiler??? it's just announcing casting news. if it said carter to die at end of sgu first season then i would be up in arms.

the news is just to get the fans excited in the series

[Pharaoh Atem]

I think that's a policy that seriously demands re-examination. How is it ever supposed to be a pleasant surprise for Gateworlders if it's getting posted in the blurb on the front page of the site.
?

if it wasn't on the front page it would be on the forum in a thread title or in any random conversation.

like darren said you might as well avid the internet

[DigiFluid]

how's that a spoiler??? it's just announcing casting news.

Perhaps because I didn't know or expect the characters to appear as part of the plot of an upcoming episode? You know, giving away plot details before it airs. That whole pesky "spoiler" definition?

if it wasn't on the front page it would be on the forum in a thread title or in any random conversation.

That's different. That's forums, where it's idle conversation from god knows how many fans; visiting forums as knowingly taking a risk on spoilers. Front page news (as managed by what, 2 or 3 site administrators?) can be controlled.

[Pharaoh Atem]

hasn't it been policy for like 9-10 years. i think you'll survive digi

[Darren]

One has to draw the line somewhere. Digi, you draw the line between 1) saying that an actor is going to appear and 2) revealing the title of the episode they are in. I'd question that as rather arbitrary. What of recurring actors? Is the headline "Patrick Gilmore to appear in 'Life'" a spoiler? As big as these two guys are in the Stargate world, they are both recurring guest stars in Season One.

I've argued before that news headlines require a level of precision to be of any value. "Anderson to appear again" is a bit too generic. (We did it for Amanda because we don't know the episode(s) she's in, for sure.) "Shanks hired for acting job," "Familiar actor cast as guest character," or "Nemec continues to exist" don't spoil anything, but they are not news headlines.

Again, the line has to be drawn somewhere. I can only suggest that those who consider this level of information to be spoilers should not visit GateWorld, or any science fiction or television news sites or forums, or look at their printed TV Guide or the on-screen info box until an episode airs. You'll see that info, and much more, by doing so.

And certainly don't watch Syfy from 10 p.m. Friday till 9 p.m. the following Friday, or you are likely to see an advertisement.

[Skydiver]

There is also...who's likely to be in the promo pics? It's the guest actors. and, while Darren will not publish a promo pic that reveals someone' fate (to use D&C for an example, he could show sam holding her gun at the ready, but would avoid using the shot of sam holding the dying martouf in her arms) promo pics will have the guest stars in them and they'll be published. if not on this site than somewhere.

[Pharaoh Atem]

speaking of news issues .....



couldn't someone had picked a happier picture for this article cause damn

rush as a wraith

[Jarrod]

One has to draw the line somewhere. Digi, you draw the line between 1) saying that an actor is going to appear and 2) revealing the title of the episode they are in. I'd question that as rather arbitrary. What of recurring actors? Is the headline "Patrick Gilmore to appear in 'Life'" a spoiler? As big as these two guys are in the Stargate world, they are both recurring guest stars in Season One.

I've argued before that news headlines require a level of precision to be of any value. "Anderson to appear again" is a bit too generic. (We did it for Amanda because we don't know the episode(s) she's in, for sure.) "Shanks hired for acting job," "Familiar actor cast as guest character," or "Nemec continues to exist" don't spoil anything, but they are not news headlines.

Again, the line has to be drawn somewhere. I can only suggest that those who consider this level of information to be spoilers should not visit GateWorld, or any science fiction or television news sites or forums, or look at their printed TV Guide or the on-screen info box until an episode airs. You'll see that info, and much more, by doing so.

And certainly don't watch Syfy from 10 p.m. Friday till 9 p.m. the following Friday, or you are likely to see an advertisement.

As a news moderator for a News Page in another fandom, I can say that Darren's Spoiler/Casting Policy is on par with the other fan news pages around.

Jarrod