BroadwayWorld Quoted and Criticized in NY Times Article

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:13pm

"Broadway Web Sites: Now for Fans as Well as Fanatics"
by Caryn James - everyone's favorite

"Like so many presidential candidates full of unifying rhetoric, though, so far these Web sites are more about wishes than about action. Floundering to find the right form, they have settled on MySpace meets television infotainment. Among the newer sites, BroadwaySpace.com is heavy on social networking, while MyBroadway.com is loaded with videos. The established ones include the chat-infused talkinbroadway.com and the commercial-ridden BroadwayWorld.com. But on the sites, video clips are promotions disguised as interviews, chat rooms are the most fun because they are the least promotional, and the overriding purpose is to get people to the theater.
...
"To get to those tidbits, though, you often have to scroll though a morass of comments that make us nonobsessives feel as if we’re eavesdropping on a cult.

“Who have you gotten stuff back from?” someone asked on BroadwayWorld.com, and received in response, “Spamalot CD insert signed by Sara Ramirez.” "


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/theater/16web.html?_r=1&ref=theater&oref=slogin

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:29pm

Hope Caryn reads this. I love this site. I love the people here. I love their passion. I love their comments. If you don't like what you read, leave.

That's the nice way to tell her what I really think, which would be closer to a rephrasing of the title "Urinetown." If you know what I mean.....

[MCfan2]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:40pm

"the overriding purpose is to get people to the theater."

Wouldn't that kind of be the point of a Broadway website??

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:41pm

James is a hack, and most theater-people I know agree.

That article she wrote during the strike where she beat the living daylights of the 8 shows still playing was BEYOND tacky.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:42pm

I don't want to click the link. Can someone post what they said that was critical?

[morosco]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:42pm

"commercial-ridden BroadwayWorld.com"

Huh? Surely they mean Broadway.com??

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:42pm

They are eavesdropping on a cult. Join us or get away is what I say.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:43pm

Oops. Didn't see this thread and posted this on the OT Board.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:44pm

Morosco, take a look around.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:45pm

Are you kidding, morosco? This site is moons over my spammy! I think any site that has the "You won a prize! Click here!" ads shouldn't even begin to expect to be taken seriously.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:46pm

I DEMAND TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

...seriously.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:49pm

I take you seriously, son.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:50pm

I'm being serious.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:50pm

Compared with Broadway.com the ads here don't bother me at all. Broadway.com looks more like a travel agency website.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:51pm

Well yeah. Have you SEEN the way we feed on people like HD? It's just part of the deal.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:56pm

Who was supposed to bring the sacrificial lamb tonight?

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:58pm

I think it was theatrediva's turn. But after the Virgo mess, I think that might mean its my turn . . .

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:59pm

"Where's the sacrificial lamb?/Here in bloody Cloisterham!"

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:10pm

I don't get what her point is...
Updated On: 1/15/08 at 11:10 PM

[insertclevernamehere2]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:57pm

This is my first post (due to long term computer issues) but I'm most surprised that the writer didn't post a better quote from here. Did she read the Fantasia threads?? Or the Clay threads?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:59pm

Caryn James = HDThoreau2

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 1/16/08 at 12:00am

REALLY. Got it. My b.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 1/16/08 at 1:15am

"Commercial laden?"

Like the NY Times doesn't sell ads to exist????

lc

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/16/08 at 1:21am

James is a hack, and most theater-people I know agree.

"Pot, this is kettle. You're black."

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/16/08 at 6:54am

Eh, you don't like me? Don't read me!
Updated On: 1/16/08 at 06:54 AM