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Post by comet on Jul 19, 2016 8:59:43 GMT
The Official Forum is to close on the 25th of July 2016.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 19, 2016 11:18:21 GMT
The Official Forum is to close on the 25th of July 2016. Why's that ? Not good news ! |
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Post by Richard on Jul 20, 2016 6:44:04 GMT
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Post by Libby on Jul 21, 2016 6:20:00 GMT
That's doubtful, as there were precious few active members there who aren't already here. Martin and comet were the only ones I've been seeing lately, with the occasional appearance of Bob C, the other moderator. Actually, most of them are already members here, and told me they do visit occasionally, so I doubt anything will change. The last time the forum was anywhere near active was right after the Madison concert, but it didn't take long for the participation to die out. However, despite the feeling of talking to myself for all these months, the forum still got plenty of visitors, they just never seem to bother to log in, let alone post.  I'm very disappointed, and have the feeling that Bob and I are being fired, but it's not as surprising as it might seem. I think the "new" forum has been going downhill since it started, if it couldn't even let many of the members log in anymore. I posted this in the Sarah thread too, and I'll say it here, too, since it's slightly more relevant to the current topic: It worries me that if her forum is dead, what does that say for Hayley's future music career? Why does Universal Music and/or Decca want to be rid of it? Unless it's just that social media has spelled the end of forums. What I'm really hoping is that they're going to totally revamp her website, and that the loss of the forum is just a side effect of social media dominating the online world. I have visited very few artist websites these days that actually have a forum. It's all just news, discography, music videos, bio, etc. And Hayley doesn't even have half of that on her website! One music video, and an old one at that! A dead soundcloud is all you see on the Music page. All the photos are old. I do hold out hope, but very slim hope, that they will eventually update her website for the better. |
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Post by frenchie on Jul 21, 2016 16:12:48 GMT
That's doubtful, as there were precious few active members there who aren't already here. Martin and comet were the only ones I've been seeing lately, with the occasional appearance of Bob C, the other moderator. Actually, most of them are already members here, and told me they do visit occasionally, so I doubt anything will change. The last time the forum was anywhere near active was right after the Madison concert, but it didn't take long for the participation to die out. However, despite the feeling of talking to myself for all these months, the forum still got plenty of visitors, they just never seem to bother to log in, let alone post. I'm very disappointed, and have the feeling that Bob and I are being fired, but it's not as surprising as it might seem. I think the "new" forum has been going downhill since it started, if it couldn't even let many of the members log in anymore. It's sad to hear the official forum is closing. I hope those that post over there will make their way over here. And a special invite to Bob to post more often over here.  It worries me that if her forum is dead, what does that say for Hayley's future music career? Why does Universal Music and/or Decca want to be rid of it? Unless it's just that social media has spelled the end of forums. What I'm really hoping is that they're going to totally revamp her website, and that the loss of the forum is just a side effect of social media dominating the online world. I have visited very few artist websites these days that actually have a forum. It's all just news, discography, music videos, bio, etc. And Hayley doesn't even have half of that on her website! One music video, and an old one at that! A dead soundcloud is all you see on the Music page. All the photos are old. I do hold out hope, but very slim hope, that they will eventually update her website for the better. I know this is difficult. I understand it looks hopeless at the moment. But try to look at the glass half full. I think that Decca spending time and money working on her website is a positive sign. And they have worked on her website twice in -what?- 3 months. Why spend time, money, make it a priority if things are not slowly creaking forward? I hope they revamp it. Which if they do, it means things are full swing ahead! Josh and Loreena McKennitt are the only artists I know that still has an official forum on his website. And half of them both looks very, very dead unfortunately. I have yet to see any fan reviews, spoilers, fan videos about Josh's current Summer Tour on there for example. The forums I visit have like vigil's (LOL) when a new tour starts. (This is why people check their phones 200 times a day, Jeff! lol) The handful of forums I visit are fan created forums like this one. I think fans feel more freedom in posting their feelings about the artist on fan forums. Not to mention that is where all the action is: the bootlegs, leaked demos/songs, full fan reviews & videos, any rumors, news articles, and trading/selling among collector's. I agree that social media has "killed" official forums. Social media is how fans today get their news and updates. So why release an official press release on your forum? And if traffic flow (posts) are not constant and frequent, then why spend the money to keep it up? The official forum was not running contests, doing exclusive goodies, etc since I have been a fan. (And that is no fault of your's, Libby & Bob!!) Personally, HWI has the exclusive's in Hayley's career. Thinking the 2001 20/20 interview, etc. You made the point that people have a hard time logging in. Well, there's part of the problem since it makes the forum's stats look bad. And Hayley taking a few extra years to create her next masterpiece does not help either. I do not think Hayley's music career is dead, Libby. Every time Hayley announces tour dates the last 2/3 years, social media spikes and we get a few more people posting here. After Madison, I was surprised to see quite a few comments everywhere say "Man, I wished I knew!" or "Please come back so I/we can see you Hayley!". So if Hayley does press and promote, then the general fans will come out en mass, but until then, they are minding their own business. If you are still in charge of the Twitter, etc account, then try starting up a conversation with your followers in between the Hayley posts (and any news we receive). Ask questions like: What is your favorite Hayley album? Which Hayley song are you stuck on right now? Have you seen Hayley perform? And if so, what was your first show? Play a game for a day/week like make a Hayley chain of songs that have "Heart" in the title (maybe even the lyrics). etc. I also would do more of "On this Day..." post for like when Hayley released albums and important performances. Celebrate them for the week or for the month. Get those general fans primed when Hayley does make the announcement of her new album and the release date. |
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Post by Libby on Jul 21, 2016 20:48:00 GMT
Thanks for that great advice for the twitter page, Alicia. I think I'll try some of that! Actually, I have occasionally been posting anniversary-type posts. For example, my latest tweet was that the amazing World Games performance in Taiwan was 7 years ago. I get a lot of these from White Heart of the Korean fan page. He posts something nearly every day. He even posts tweets of Hayley's on the anniversary of that tweet. LOL But all that "if" and "until" stuff you said about Hayley's career is not very encouraging. I know it'll do wonders "if" and "until" all that stuff happens, it's just a matter of it actually happening. And so far, none of it's happening! We've only been waiting 2 years since that first studio photo of her doing a violin demo, and then of course 3 years since her last album. When I think of Hayley's new songs, and the fact that she has been doing lots of writing, and that she even recorded something recently (the 14th street studios thing), is all enough to leave me with some hope. And I'm trying not to be impatient while Hayley does nothing all summer again... that's what most people try to do in the summer, nothing (at least work-related)! LOL But remembering that last year in the fall and winter, there was still nothing leads me to worry that the same thing is going to happen this year, as well. Nothing. She can write all she wants, but that's not good enough as long as there's no album to show for it. And I'm sorry, the concert wasn't enough, either, since only those few who attended got to hear everything. And I'm still disheartened by the fact that the bio was recently updated to say she'd have a "series" of concerts for 2016, but guess what, 2016 is more than half over, with only one concert to date. |
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Post by Richard on Jul 22, 2016 6:45:17 GMT
Hello folks!  I couldn't access the official forum yesterday morning, so I thought Decca had pulled the plug early. It's working again today, but you need to be quick if you want to save anything from there. Anything could happen over the weekend.  hayleywestenra.forums.umusic.co.uk/Richard  |
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Post by Libby on Jul 23, 2016 6:07:52 GMT
I'm not too worried. There's really nothing there that's not here. Even my Madison report and photos are all here. Most Hayley photos are here, Getty, contact music, zimbio, etc. I just don't have the will to overwhelm myself. I'm just over the forum now. I'm losing my "job", and I'm very disappointed. I loved posting Hayley's latest photos, and all that, and now I will never get to do that again. I very rarely get to be the one to post it here, since it's in the UK hours and hours before I get on, occasionally long before I even get up! Aside from retweeting it on the twitter page, of course.
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Post by comet on Jul 23, 2016 12:34:10 GMT
I'm not too worried. There's really nothing there that's not here. Even my Madison report and photos are all here. Most Hayley photos are here, Getty, contact music, zimbio, etc. I just don't have the will to overwhelm myself. I'm just over the forum now. I'm losing my "job", and I'm very disappointed. I loved posting Hayley's latest photos, and all that, and now I will never get to do that again. I very rarely get to be the one to post it here, since it's in the UK hours and hours before I get on, occasionally long before I even get up! Aside from retweeting it on the twitter page, of course. Libby, you were the one who took the trouble to extract the .jpeg from mysterious tangle that is Instagram. On some of the computers I use during the day (With out of date IE and windows) Instagram posts just show up as a grey rectangle. I assume some of our other guests also found it useful that you had disentangled them from the net. without that being done I can't save them or zoom in on details like reg plates on cars, cast drain covers,electrical fittings and other items that can assist in telling us where the photo was taken. |
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Post by Libby on Jul 24, 2016 6:01:44 GMT
Well, I can do that on here for you if you'd like. I recently discovered a new way to disentangle them.  |
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Post by comet on Jul 24, 2016 12:09:04 GMT
Well, I can do that on here for you if you'd like. I recently discovered a new way to disentangle them. Thanks Libby, I do appreciate that, I hope it is not too much trouble to do it, I know if you have to save and transfer them to photobucket it can turn in to a nightmare of unknown length. I am sure that there are others who also appreciate that they can download the picture in a saveable format as well, those three hundred or more guests who visit every day but don't login or identify themselves. (Hello to all our mysterious visitors and lurkers) |
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Post by Libby on Jul 25, 2016 4:01:39 GMT
Well, I can do that on here for you if you'd like. I recently discovered a new way to disentangle them. Thanks Libby, I do appreciate that, I hope it is not too much trouble to do it, I know if you have to save and transfer them to photobucket it can turn in to a nightmare of unknown length. I am sure that there are others who also appreciate that they can download the picture in a saveable format as well, those three hundred or more guests who visit every day but don't login or identify themselves. (Hello to all our mysterious visitors and lurkers) So, are you unable to view any of the twitter/instagram photos when they're embedded into this forum? If so, in the future, I will gladly "extract" all future photos for you. It's not too complicated, and I'm glad to do it. It gives me something to do. That's why I liked "running" the forum so much, it made me feel important, I guess. I'm still going to run the twitter page as usual, too. Usually I just retweeted all of her tweets, and if she posted anything just on instagram and not twitter, I usually didn't post it. Now, I will, just for something more to keep people interested. One more day left.   |
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Post by Libby on Jul 25, 2016 21:44:54 GMT
For some reason I thought the forum would still be up till tomorrow (the 26th), but it's already gone now. The link is still there on the official site, but it just brings up the official site all over again in a new window. Goodbye, forum. Nice knowing you. |
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Dave
Administrator
HWI Admin
Posts: 7,700
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Post by Dave on Jul 26, 2016 21:03:00 GMT
Sorry to see that Libby, it's very disappointing, especially the way it was done.
Dave
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Post by Libby on Jul 26, 2016 21:54:31 GMT
I announced it to our twitter followers the other night, and yesterday (after it was gone), someone asked about wanting to save stuff, and... I didn't say this except in my head, but I was like, if you bothered to read the forum every once in a while you probably would have seen the announcement a week ago! That doesn't sound nice, but I guess I'm feeling a little bitter about all the people who stayed silent for all these months, contributing to the loss of the forum. Of course, lack of Hayley news isn't their fault, but you know what, once the news dies down, they shut right up again and go back from whence they came. So I can't say that I'm feeling sorry for the members who hardly ever showed up. I'm blaming them. And Twitter. LOL Sorry, just needing to vent.
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I'm very disappointed, and have the feeling that Bob and I are being fired, but it's not as surprising as it might seem. I think the "new" forum has been going downhill since it started, if it couldn't even let many of the members log in anymore. 
