Rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated is a moderated Usenet newsgroup that focuses on the science fiction television series '' Babylon 5'' and the works of writer J. Michael Straczynski. It was spun off from its un-moderated version, rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5, in 1996. The newsgroup counts Straczynski as a frequent contributor, and was among the first internet-based forums where fans interacted directly with a 'showrunner'.

History

In the early 1990s, several newsgroups were created that focused on the sci-fi show ''Babylon 5.'' One of these groups, rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5, became well known for the participation of ''Babylon 5'' creator and writer J. Michael Straczynski. Straczynski had long participated in many online forums since the 1980s, and is widely credited as being the first notable artist and celebrity to interact with fans online, even before the advent of the Internet as it is now known.

Straczynski interacted with ''Babylon 5'' fans on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 and similar groups on GEnie and CompuServe, however rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 slowly turned into a morass of spam and ' flame wars' (usually perpetrated and carried forward by a rather small group of people). The more ''Babylon 5''s ratings increased, and the more attention was drawn to Straczynski's involvement in the group, the more extensive and vitriolic the many flame wars got. By the end of 1995, Straczynski was also being ' net-stalked', and had to scrap a script in pre-production because fans were posting story ideas. Eventually, Straczynski left rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5, focusing on the moderated Internet based forums.

A group of fans then proposed the creation of a moderated version of rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5. The resultant Request For Discussion became the most replied to RFD in the history of Usenet at the time (surpassed only by the rec.music.white-power newsgroup vote), and the proposal overwhelmingly passed, creating rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated. The majority of rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 contributors, as well as Straczynski and other Usenet personalities, flocked to the new group, essentially continuing rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5 in a more controlled environment.

Straczynski continues to post to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated to this day, engaging in discussions with fans about many subjects in addition to answering questions about his works and using the group to make announcements about new projects. The various independent websites that archive his Usenet posts or the group itself are usually mis-cited in the media as being his official websites.

The group is actively moderated on a volunteer basis by two ''Babylon 5'' fans, and the computer equipment and bandwidth costs are supported by donations from other fans. Posts can be made through normal Usenet methods (via a newsreader or the World Wide Web through Google Groups), or via e-mail.

Moderation

Per the group's charter, no topic is "off topic". Most discussions at first naturally focused on ''Babylon 5'', and since the show ended, on Straczynski's recent works in comics, film, radio and television. The group can be looked at as more of a general discussion group.

The only things that are not allowed in the group are spam, trolling, story ideas about ''Babylon 5'' or other projects Straczynski may be working on, and flame wars.

Posts from new contributors or new threads go through the moderators for approval first ("hand moderation"). Posts to existing threads from experienced contributors are automatically allowed through by computer. Discussion threads on particularly heated subjects (usually politics) are continuously hand moderated to prevent flame wars from occurring, and if they do, the thread can be shut down. The system is not perfect: posts can be lost and the group can be down to new posts if the moderation computers are being moved or during power outages, etc. Appearance of new threads are dependent on the availability of the moderators, and may sometimes take more than a day to appear. Occasionally, complaints of censorship arise, though these complaints are often from people who were making posts that violated the clearly set rules. Nevertheless, the forum is still a popular discussion ground for Straczynski's fans, with the main selling point being the opportunity to interact with Straczynski.

Jay Denebeim, a volunteer moderator for Rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated, was profiled in a ''Wall Street Journal'' article that covered the travails that beset the Usenet in the late 1990s.

Legacy

Straczynski's involvement