Citizens Share Their Thoughts on Communications Conditions


Citizens Share Their Thoughts on Communications Conditions
September Communications-Central Poll Results
Written by Le Libertia
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(Europeia - September 22, 2017) - At the dawn of Writinglegend's unexpected term as president, the EBC conducted a poll inquiring of Europeian citizens their opinion on a various array of Communication topics. There were 19 citizens who participated in this poll, which is roughly a third of the electorate. Each vote is worth about 5 percent of the data. Here what they thought:

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The first question gauged the location of most forum activity. A majority (63.2 percent) of the participants indicated that they stayed on the forum homepage the the majority of the time. One reason this might have occurred is because using the homepage can help citizens observe the overall activity in the region, rather than simply tracking one event. Those who stay on active topics may desire in-depth detail of current events. In addition, since active topics are more likely to have debate and quicker responses, this may indicate Europeians are slightly more observant than participative.

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This next result shows the level of consistency with which citizens view the ''News'' drop-down. A plurality do not check this section, and a mere 31.6 percent of citizens check the drop-down bi-weekly or more frequently. The decision to create this feature may not have been a correct one. This result could be significant motivation for Minister JayDee to remove this feature from the EBC. Continuing the drop-down would be a considerable risk, given that the backlash could be potentially high. It appears that many Europeians were either unaware or see no use of the drop-down. It is reasonable to also assume that usage of the drop-down will increase as players become aware and more accustomed to the feature. If this is true, the main action necessary is taking increased measures to publicize this feature.

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This chart further illustrates where citizens receive their news from. A slight majority (52.6 percent) indicate they receive their information from the EBC forum to check for the EBC's articles most frequently, followed by active topics (38.6 percent), and the "News" drop-down (10.5 percent). The least frequently checked overwhelmingly appears to be the "News" drop-down (57.8 percent), followed by active topics (31.5 percent), and lastly the EBC forum (15.7 percent). Since the EBC forums gives quickest access to in-depth articles, it appears to show that Europeians prefer content over short summaries. Still, it's questionable how accurately this result illustrates respondants' usage of this feature. The restrictive and mandatory responses to this question received the most criticism by participants in the poll. This clearly makes this result have a likelihood of being inaccurate.

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Based on these results, it’s clear that Deepest House’s introduction of update articles is a success with the large majority that support it. Since the project is so new, dissatisfaction is expected to some degree. Some may prefer for slight improvements to the update articles. However, the most likely criticism of the minority is that its existence is of little use. Citizens may point to the fact that these articles have less content than other relevant EBC articles, and that the news drop-down and EBC Wire has a similar function to the update articles. Regardless, the support is certainly high enough to encourage the following Communications ministers to continue the practice.

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The most polarizing results would have to be Minister JayDee’s decision to split the EBC updates into a separate subforum. While a sizable minority support the decision, it is clear that a majority do not approve of the Minister’s decision. Despite what people have said on the announcement thread itself, JayDee might have an easier time keeping the changes as is than expected. However, a wrong move on the part of the Minister in regards to this decision may result in heavy opposition. Couple with the results regarding where people get their news, JayDee will likely have a hard time proving his decision. However, the Minister might be able to attain support amongst the people who use the EBC forum as their main source of news. The reduction of clutter might come as a favorable change. Moving forward, it is uncertain whether this change will last more than one term. With the way the vote is split, it is unlikely the next Minister will know at this point either.

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This chart indicates the considerable amount of indifference towards the state of High Return Media articles. One the major goals of the Communications may not have the popularity that JayDee presumed it would have. JayDee may have presumed more dissatisfaction with HRMs but with only 10 percent of participants voting this way, this is false. However, the level of indifference towards HRMs could be motivation for Communications to improve and produce more of them. The ministry will have to work to increase interest in these types of article to receive to accomplish his agenda.

Comments From Questions:
  • Only one citizens responded of the question: 'What could be done to improve EBC update articles?' This person merely asked for "more of them." The lack of response could be the result of a general satisfaction with the update articles.
-high return is bs, just make stuff to entertain me
-Make more of them, updates are great and all, but I don't think they do much.
-Finding something that is A) worthy of the research, and B) still timely enough to talk about when the research/work is done is practically impossible. This sounds like a pipe dream.
-What the heck is high return media?
-For this poll there should be more options for no opinion. Also, I never check the news drop down or the EBC forum, so making me chose one of those for frequently checked is disingenuous.
-Couple of things, mostly about this poll:
I NEVER use the dropdown, OR Active Topics, so requiring me to rank one of those two as 'Frequent' is inaccurate.
-As for the MinComm itself, I think now is a little too early to tell. There isn't much accountability. Having people sign up as writers is a good start though, because if they haven't written something by the midterm, you can give them a stern talking-to.
-The option to tie two things for least frequent

Overall, these comments show that a considerable amount of Europeians are either uninformed on the state of Communications affairs, or lack motivation to deeply learn about specific operations of the EBC. JayDee will have work hard to justify his decisions on many of the features of the EBC.
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I'd say having 19 people participating in a poll about Communications suggests JayDee and his team are doing a good job. We've got robust communications, and they're meaty enough for people to have actual opinions about them. Well done!

I think it's unrealistic to expect citizens who aren't involved in any ministry to have an opinion on the ministry's inner workings. I didn't take the poll, but my response to the question about High Return Media would've been "... um, what?"
 
I am aware that many people can't formulate a very strong opinion due to lack of information. That's why I included the option for "No Opinion" in the High Return Media questions. I didn't include this in earlier questions because 1) Hard News and the EBC Update are a more visible part of the EBC and their content is easier to digest 2) I wanted to see which way people would lean when forced to pick an option.
 
Poll results demonstrate once again that the decision to sequester hard news stories into a sub-forum was a poor one.

Overall, good work Le Libertia. And a nice poll concept, something different than we've seen before.
 
It was 50-50 split until the last submission (literally), but it definitely constitutes a more thorough examination of the EBC Update forum. I will be posting an announcement this midterm along with my Midterm Address regarding whether we will be keeping it or disbanding it.

Neither decision will come easily for me.
 
Well, it's not just the poll question about the separate forum (I didn't even take the poll). And while the poll results may have been close, the public commentary on the change isn't particularly close at all.

It's also the fact that clearly the News drop down is barely, if ever (no option for "never" even though for many that's the case), used to get news. This was the primary reason for the change to begin with.

It has just shaped up that no matter how the decision is reviewed, there is no positivity around it, whether in usefulness or public opinion.
 
I actually like the change, from an organizational standpoint, of splitting the two kinds of articles up.
 
I’m not dead-set against some kind of organization where different types of articles are in difference places. After all, newspapers have different sections. Not an apples to apples comparison, but is a bit apt in this case.

That said, if you want to split them up, don’t prioritize one over the over. The current set up does exactly that – it prioritizes (at least gives the appearance of priority) one type of article over the other. The equitable solution to this would be to have each within their own sub-forum. Click the EBC, get to a page with two different sub-forums equally represented, and choose the sub-forum you want to review.

For the record, while I’m not dead-set against such a setup, I do not think it is necessary whatsoever. The EBC doesn’t produce so much content that stuff falls off of the first page quickly (for feature stories) or during its relevant news cycle (for the hard news). As I mentioned before, the front page of the EBC goes back almost two months – that’s plenty.
 
Deepest House said:
Well, it's not just the poll question about the separate forum (I didn't even take the poll). And while the poll results may have been close, the public commentary on the change isn't particularly close at all.

It's also the fact that clearly the News drop down is barely, if ever (no option for "never" even though for many that's the case), used to get news. This was the primary reason for the change to begin with.

It has just shaped up that no matter how the decision is reviewed, there is no positivity around it, whether in usefulness or public opinion.
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Yea that's not correct DH. If you actually look at the numbers of people who have commented on your op-ed and elsewhere. There are a relatively high number who are either supportive of the change or would seek to abolish "hard news" entirely. You can't ignore the facts, that just because you and a few others are being super loud and active on this topic, you don't have the level of majority you think you do.
 
If you go look at my op-ed piece and tally those who expressed a definitive opinion there, it’s 7 to 3. You, JayDee, and Punchwood are the only ones who stated a definitive opinion supportive of the change. In opposition to the change or in agreement with my piece were myself, hyanygo, Rach, Calvin Coolidge, Aditya Republic, Lethen, and Skizzy Grey.

XIV was not definitive, but reading his posts he appears to lean more in agreement with the op-ed than agreement with the change. Kylia says she likes the change from an organizational standpoint, but has not commented on the merits of the sub-forum itself.

So it’s either 7-3 or 7-4, depending on how you count Kylia. I think 70 percent and 64 percent, respectively, are pretty clear. Those numbers would rise to 73 percent 67 percent of we throw XIV in the column he appears to be leaning.

It’s not just me and a few being loud. There is a clear majority in opposition, whether looking at the poll or public commentary. I’m not ignoring the facts. Numbers are numbers. Nice try, though.
 
I don't think Hard News actually is getting any less treatment, at the end of the day. The existence of the subform doesn't appear to be hampering it at all.

EDIT: At the end of the day, I don't really care, but gun to my head, I'd take what we have now.
 
At first, I thought I would like the decision to shuffle them into their own subforum (and voted yes in the poll), but after seeing it in practice I think that it's not particularly as helpful as I thought it would be. I personally would prefer to return to the old style where they're all in the same areas.

Either way, good job on the poll and following story!
 
Deepest House said:
If you go look at my op-ed piece and tally those who expressed a definitive opinion there, it’s 7 to 3. You, JayDee, and Punchwood are the only ones who stated a definitive opinion supportive of the change. In opposition to the change or in agreement with my piece were myself, hyanygo, Rach, Calvin Coolidge, Aditya Republic, Lethen, and Skizzy Grey.

XIV was not definitive, but reading his posts he appears to lean more in agreement with the op-ed than agreement with the change. Kylia says she likes the change from an organizational standpoint, but has not commented on the merits of the sub-forum itself.

So it’s either 7-3 or 7-4, depending on how you count Kylia. I think 70 percent and 64 percent, respectively, are pretty clear. Those numbers would rise to 73 percent 67 percent of we throw XIV in the column he appears to be leaning.

It’s not just me and a few being loud. There is a clear majority in opposition, whether looking at the poll or public commentary. I’m not ignoring the facts. Numbers are numbers. Nice try, though.
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First of all you counted Adyita, which I think can fairly be chalked up with the same amount of understanding and involvement as every other one of his "nice" comments.

Second There needs to be a middle category here. Skizzy would seem to prefer the elimination of "hard news" entirely, which clearly isn't your stance in your article.

That leaves it with you, Hy, Rach, Calvin and Lethen vs. Jaydee, Punchwood, Kylia and Myself. That's 5-4 (not counting XIV) and is obviously a very small sample size. Thus, I maintain my point.
 
Nice job completely throwing away the stated opinion of a member and completely mischaracterizing Skizzy's stance.

And now that Kylia has made her stance clear, we should acknowledge that Aex has done the same.
 
Deepest House said:
Nice job completely throwing away the stated opinion of a member and completely mischaracterizing Skizzy's stance.

And now that Kylia has made her stance clear, we should acknowledge that Aex has done the same.
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Your telling me that you honestly believe that Adytia has a complete understanding of the issue and formed his own comprehensive opinion on the topic? Answer yes to that question and I will never take you seriously again.

Ok so even if we add Aex. That's still only 6-4. That's 9 people and it's still not the absolute landslide you are going around suggesting. And Again that's only 10 people.
 
I never suggested a landslide, I suggested a clear majority.

And I respect our members' opinions, all of them. That includes Aditya. Frankly, I don't care if you take me seriously or not, because I don't need you.
 
It feels like we need the OSC involved in this. There's some issues counting votes.

First of all you counted Adyita, which I think can fairly be chalked up with the same amount of understanding and involvement as every other one of his "nice" comments.
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Your telling me that you honestly believe that Adytia has a complete understanding of the issue and formed his own comprehensive opinion on the topic? Answer yes to that question and I will never take you seriously again.
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GraV, seriously, anyone can have an opinion on 'this looked messy, and I like it now'. You sound like you're fighting for the Soul of Comms or some other such nonsense. Cut the hysterics... or should I stop taking you seriously since you can't spell "you're"?

Le Libertia, I liked this article, particularly the dedication to teasing out the truth.

Like any big change, it takes a while to get used to it, or really develop a well-reasoned opinion. I think this poll may have been a touch premature, but taking a pulse of the citizenry we serve is a good idea. Hopefully we'll see some good changes come of this article, and the ensuing debate.
 
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