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Gateworld has posted a link to MGM's new Team Stargate. If you join Team Stargate, you get newsletters and agree to post their content to websites. Terms include:
"You will not materially alter the Stargate Content or otherwise add to, subtract from or make changes to the Stargate Content that distorts or obscures the original message" (what, one can’t make fun of the fact that it sounds like an upcoming SGA reuses an SG-1 storyline?)
"You will not post, upload, transmit or otherwise make the Stargate Content available on any web site that: (i) engages in gambling or in illegal activities; (ii) contains obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate content, including, without limitation, content that is or may be threatening, abusive, degrading or hateful; or (iii) contains any other type of content or promotes any type of activity or behavior that MGM determines, in its sole discretion, could negatively impact Stargate and/or MGM...."
(So after one has made a post, MGM can decide they don’t like where you posted and it doesn't count towards your prizes or increase in rank.)
and, my personal favorite,
"If the newsletter directs you to post an opinion about Stargate, you will only post an opinion if it represents your bona fide and honest opinion at the time of posting. Should your opinion change any time thereafter, you will promptly have your opinion removed from the Third Party Sites."
(Ah. So if s4 of SGA turns out not to be good, one might find oneself utterly unable to post.)
I have been loving MGM. I love the commitment they’ve made not only to Stargate in various forms but to some of their stars: they helped distribute David Hewlett’s Dog’s Breakfast (buy it buy it buy it); they’re backing Chris Judge’s Rage of Angels; they’ve generally been great. (I’m assuming here MGM did not make decisions about who is and isn’t coming back on SGA next season; the producers made those calls. And I whine a lot about a couple of those calls, but I still support the shows and the forthcoming movies.)
My Brilliant Husband tells me the practice of posting fake grassroots material is called “astroturf." At least MGM’s astroturf is not pretending to be real, because one does have to sign one’s posts “Official Team Stargate member” (and then deport oneself accordingly). Yet people get banned from some fora and other sites for posting advertising—and rightly so. If MGM has the team post press releases, I think we readers will take them as seriously as we would any MGM press releases. If someone posts an opinion over the “Official Team Stargate member,” I’m going to assume it was an opinion dictated by MGM with which the poster happens to agree at the moment, but didn’t necessarily reach on his or her own.
I am also waiting with bated breath to see if I read posts signed “Official Team Stargate member” followed immediately by posts from the same person not signed that way, mocking the user’s own previous post: “Yes, this trailer makes the upcoming episode look nearly as good as 'Irresistible'”!
I will be quite interested to know, Dear Readers, if any of you take up the challenge and join Team Stargate. Please let me know of your adventures! And, of course, your swag.
I have to say, I’m not loving MGM so much right now. I’m thinking they’ve witnessed the power of David Hewlett’s Squirrel Army and have drawn the wrong conclusions from it.
Note to MGM Execs: This is how to turn cred into crud, guys.
"You will not materially alter the Stargate Content or otherwise add to, subtract from or make changes to the Stargate Content that distorts or obscures the original message" (what, one can’t make fun of the fact that it sounds like an upcoming SGA reuses an SG-1 storyline?)
"You will not post, upload, transmit or otherwise make the Stargate Content available on any web site that: (i) engages in gambling or in illegal activities; (ii) contains obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate content, including, without limitation, content that is or may be threatening, abusive, degrading or hateful; or (iii) contains any other type of content or promotes any type of activity or behavior that MGM determines, in its sole discretion, could negatively impact Stargate and/or MGM...."
(So after one has made a post, MGM can decide they don’t like where you posted and it doesn't count towards your prizes or increase in rank.)
and, my personal favorite,
"If the newsletter directs you to post an opinion about Stargate, you will only post an opinion if it represents your bona fide and honest opinion at the time of posting. Should your opinion change any time thereafter, you will promptly have your opinion removed from the Third Party Sites."
(Ah. So if s4 of SGA turns out not to be good, one might find oneself utterly unable to post.)
I have been loving MGM. I love the commitment they’ve made not only to Stargate in various forms but to some of their stars: they helped distribute David Hewlett’s Dog’s Breakfast (buy it buy it buy it); they’re backing Chris Judge’s Rage of Angels; they’ve generally been great. (I’m assuming here MGM did not make decisions about who is and isn’t coming back on SGA next season; the producers made those calls. And I whine a lot about a couple of those calls, but I still support the shows and the forthcoming movies.)
My Brilliant Husband tells me the practice of posting fake grassroots material is called “astroturf." At least MGM’s astroturf is not pretending to be real, because one does have to sign one’s posts “Official Team Stargate member” (and then deport oneself accordingly). Yet people get banned from some fora and other sites for posting advertising—and rightly so. If MGM has the team post press releases, I think we readers will take them as seriously as we would any MGM press releases. If someone posts an opinion over the “Official Team Stargate member,” I’m going to assume it was an opinion dictated by MGM with which the poster happens to agree at the moment, but didn’t necessarily reach on his or her own.
I am also waiting with bated breath to see if I read posts signed “Official Team Stargate member” followed immediately by posts from the same person not signed that way, mocking the user’s own previous post: “Yes, this trailer makes the upcoming episode look nearly as good as 'Irresistible'”!
I will be quite interested to know, Dear Readers, if any of you take up the challenge and join Team Stargate. Please let me know of your adventures! And, of course, your swag.
I have to say, I’m not loving MGM so much right now. I’m thinking they’ve witnessed the power of David Hewlett’s Squirrel Army and have drawn the wrong conclusions from it.
Note to MGM Execs: This is how to turn cred into crud, guys.
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From:
no subject
So, if you change your mind about something based upon later opinions, then...your previous opinion is no longer valid? Um...what?
Like, if I liked redshirt in Part 1 of an episode, but I don't like him in part 2...why does that invalidate my opinion in Part 1? Oh wait, I'm directed as to when to post an opinion? Hee. Hee hee hee.
I'm just playing devil's advocate. I'm not going to bother clicking the link to explore this more. I squee or don't squee honestly.
From:
no subject
It reminds me of those movies that had fake reviews attached to the ads. You can't commercialize word of mouth. Many have tried, and it always backlashes on them negatively. And getting fans to be your pr department for
freet-shirts? No. Bad form. No cookie to MGM today, (and I totally agree with the rest of your post too).I need to go take a shower now.
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no subject
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no subject
How interesting.
From:
no subject
Part of me is tempted to do it just to see what I can get away with (adding extra posts on the same page without my official Team sig), but most of me can't stand the thought.
And all of me thinks the whole thing is really funny. I just don't want to see it backfire on Stargate; the executives can shoot themselves in the feet if they like, but don't touch my shows! (and yes, SG-1 is still my show, even if it will only show up from time to time as movies now).
From:
no subject
Having a change of opinion is common and should be tolerated.