What is going on on the JGP?

[Diana Delafield]

I saw someone suggesting on the figure skating Reddit page that having the live chat open increases viewing numbers/interaction which in turn boosts the popularity of the videos.

Sadly, I would suspect that many of those added viewers are watching with the thought: "Goody, a new chance for me to have some fun writing nasty comments about some stranger doing something or other, snicker snicker!" It being figure skating is immaterial to them. It just gives them another random target. The "popularity" for them lies in competing with other under-a-rock lowlife forms in their comments.

I used to compete in quite a few different activities, long before such performances were being recorded for public viewing or listening. Judges in some fields would give written comments, and my teacher or coach (when did we stop calling skating teachers "pros" and adopt the term "coaches"?) would read them. I never bothered. I wouldn't nowadays either, being one of those competitors whose own opinion of myself mattered more than those of others. If I was pleased with what I'd done, that was good. If I wasn't, it didn't matter even if I'd won. Just a personal quirk. But I knew kids who really cared what others thought, and would have been devastated if they'd read such comments about themselves. In general I don't agree with my contemporaries who insist "things were better in our day", but in this case, they're right.

 

[moonvine]

Sadly, I would suspect that many of those added viewers are watching with the thought: "Goody, a new chance for me to have some fun writing nasty comments about some stranger doing something or other, snicker snicker!" It being figure skating is immaterial to them. It just gives them another random target. The "popularity" for them lies in competing with other under-a-rock lowlife forms in their comments.

I used to compete in quite a few different activities, long before such performances were being recorded for public viewing or listening. Judges in some fields would give written comments, and my teacher or coach (when did we stop calling skating teachers "pros" and adopt the term "coaches"?) would read them. I never bothered. I wouldn't nowadays either, being one of those competitors whose own opinion of myself mattered more than those of others. If I was pleased with what I'd done, that was good. If I wasn't, it didn't matter even if I'd won. Just a personal quirk. But I knew kids who really cared what others thought, and would have been devastated if they'd read such comments about themselves. In general I don't agree with my contemporaries who insist "things were better in our day", but in this case, they're right.

I used to do Equestrian and took written notes on the judges comments. I may still have some of them.

 

[icewhite]

children competing or not, children writing or not, there should be no comments unless someone is moderating them to remove anything that is inappropriate... since that's not the case, comments should be turned off.

BTW : since it's JGP, the ISU could label the stream as "youtube for kids" which doesn't allow for comments.

This.

I think most of all we all, especially in our day and age, need to learn to not care what some trolls and petty people say about us. It's important to learn to use constructive criticism to improve yourself (but that will usually come from people who actually know us) and distinguish it from silly, nasty comments that are worth nothing and need to be ignored. But first of all not all those teenagers, in fact likely very few, will have learned that by then, and secondly, not everyone can count on coaches and parents teaching that. In the worst cases they will even make similar remarks.

Whenever such commentary and chat boxes can be turned off for children and teenagers they should be. (I don't think they offer anything valuable anyway, they are usually full of trolls and spam and the same questions all over.)

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I saw someone suggesting on the figure skating Reddit page that having the live chat open increases viewing numbers/interaction which in turn boosts the popularity of the videos. Even if this is the reasoning, I don't think either the chat or comments should be allowed on the JGP videos.

I was about to start writing a review for a Fan Fest, but when I searched for the individual videos of her programmes, I had to come back in here.

What is the craic with the thumbnails?!

All the Junior GP videos this season have silly adjectives added to the thumnails.

Here is what is used on my skater's videos:

"Dynamic Short Program"
"Glamorous Free Skating"

And here are some other examples:

"Graceful Free Skating"
"Artistic Free Skating"
"Elegant Free Skating"
"Radiant Free Skating"
"Captivating Free Skating"
"Uplifting Rhythm Dance"
"Emotional Rhythm Dance"
"Amazing Rhythm Dance"
"Unforgettable Short Program"
"Flawless Short Program"
"Mesmerising Short Program"
"Marvelous Short Program"
"Stunning Short Program"
"Striking Short Program"
"Inspiring Short Program"

[Boys, but it pained me to type those out using American spellings! But, I had to copy them exactly as they are displayed.]

What a load of codswallop!

Looks like allowing comments and the live chat are not the only things that the official ISU Junior GP YouTube channel are using to try to boost viewing figures. Now they are trying to turn the individual videos into clickbait!

Have they lost their minds?! Do they not realise that making things look like clickbait actually drives people away from viewing?!

Everything they're doing. It's just bizarre!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[zebobes]

I think that the ISU has just turned off the live chat replay, so people can chat while watching, but after the competition is over, the comments will be gone. I'm not sure how much of it is saved while the stream is still going, though, as I could see someone getting off the ice and immediately going to see what the comments were.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I used to do Equestrian and took written notes on the judges comments. I may still have some of them.

The judges for things I competed in -- dance, gymnastics, skating, piano, singing, acting, art, creative writing, Reach For The Top (a Canadian TV quiz show for teams of high school students in my day), etc etc -- sometimes handed out private notes, sometimes didn't. My teacher/coach would read and keep such notes, might pass on a few suggestions to me, might ignore them. I was thinking more along the lines of it only being judges writing private notes in my day, not hordes of random strangers watching and thinking they had every right to criticize like Comments trolls do now. The closest we would come might be other competitors gossiping in overly loud whispers behind the scenes. I pity competitors today. They must feel as if they're under a microscope with no escape.

 

[4everchan]

The judges for things I competed in -- dance, gymnastics, skating, piano, singing, acting, art, creative writing, Reach For The Top (a Canadian TV quiz show for teams of high school students in my day), etc etc -- sometimes handed out private notes, sometimes didn't. My teacher/coach would read and keep such notes, might pass on a few suggestions to me, might ignore them. I was thinking more along the lines of it only being judges writing private notes in my day, not hordes of random strangers watching and thinking they had every right to criticize like Comments trolls do now. The closest we would come might be other competitors gossiping in overly loud whispers behind the scenes. I pity competitors today. They must feel as if they're under a microscope with no escape.

that is the issue. the problem with social media is that now, everyone acts like a judge. I received plenty of constructive comments for recitals. I kept those for years and read them again and again. They can be truly helpful. But on the net? Anyone is now an expert... even those who are not rude or trolling... they shouldn't give "unsollicitated advice" as if they truly knew.

 

[NoNameFace]

Kinda surprised this is bring discussed just now.
I raised my brows, seeing presence of live chat on JGP videos and knew what will come with it.

The thing is...majority of those 'live chatting' had no stinking clue about how a skater looks in real view. I really strongly recommend going to live competitions to see how athleticism looks like. Oh, and courage to step onto the ice with purpose to give your best, even it their 'best' is lame for your 'standards'.
Plus people have real problem about understanding how human body is built and that we are not coming from unified form. I won't even start about lack of basic understanding on puberty process, it's not worth to overwrite myself when the targeted group has no will to listen (I. e. 'live chatting' ones).

In short - live chat shouldn't be even a thing for JGP, I could make a case this being applicable also for senior circuit. Society being judgemental - and having unrealistic standards set for everyone based on subjective preferences and unrealistic picture of 'model' figure skater (or, more precisely, a model that is not attainable, nor sustainable for the majority) - makes it easy to predict what will happen with 'opinions' voiced about skaters, especially small fed ones. And then those 'opinions' will focus on the bodies, which is an embarrassment that society really cannot focus on their stuff and keeps on instrumentalizing and weaponizing human bodies against athletes.

Some folks should be taught to shut their traps if their brains can produce only feces. Yeah, I'm not a Saint, I have MANY opinions and some of you would have a field day of reporting if I had time and audacity to post all of stuff that sits in my brain skating-wise. But I simply don't. And none of my opinions is about skaters body - because as someone who's overweight and never attempted organised sport/being a competitive athlete, I simply do have any mandate to judge anyone's body. There is also a part of decent human being in that department, but in times like we have now the concept is foreign to many.

 

[cheerknithanson]

And another thing that’s annoying with the chat is if they asked for example if Yuzuru was competing…sir/ma’am, this is a JUNIORS event.

 

[NoNameFace]

I was about to start writing a review for a Fan Fest, but when I searched for the individual videos of her programmes, I had to come back in here.

What is the craic with the thumbnails?!

All the Junior GP videos this season have silly adjectives added to the thumnails.

Here is what is used on my skater's videos:

"Dynamic Short Program"
"Glamorous Free Skating"

And here are some other examples:

"Graceful Free Skating"
"Artistic Free Skating"
"Elegant Free Skating"
"Radiant Free Skating"
"Captivating Free Skating"
"Uplifting Rhythm Dance"
"Emotional Rhythm Dance"
"Amazing Rhythm Dance"
"Unforgettable Short Program"
"Flawless Short Program"
"Mesmerising Short Program"
"Marvelous Short Program"
"Stunning Short Program"
"Striking Short Program"
"Inspiring Short Program"

[Boys, but it pained me to type those out using American spellings! But, I had to copy them exactly as they are displayed.]

What a load of codswallop!

Looks like allowing comments and the live chat are not the only things that the official ISU Junior GP YouTube channel are using to try to boost viewing figures. Now they are trying to turn the individual videos into clickbait!

Have they lost their minds?! Do they not realise that making things look like clickbait actually drives people away from viewing?!

Everything they're doing. It's just bizarre!

CaroLiza_fan

Glad I'm not the only one feeling embarrassed (??) by this 'novelty'.

I haven't even realised that this could have been implemented to boost views - I just saw it and immediately thought about 'happy hands at home' style of those thumbnails and that, in a way, this narrative degrades skaters' efforts and real performance/results and sensationalises the fact of JGP competition that is totally unnecessary to begin with.

It just makes the whole series and participants looking silly for me. And if it's attempt of ISU to warm its media presence/cover for all the mess it carries, it's not working.

 

[moonvine]

I was about to start writing a review for a Fan Fest, but when I searched for the individual videos of her programmes, I had to come back in here.

What is the craic with the thumbnails?!

All the Junior GP videos this season have silly adjectives added to the thumnails.

Here is what is used on my skater's videos:

"Dynamic Short Program"
"Glamorous Free Skating"

And here are some other examples:

"Graceful Free Skating"
"Artistic Free Skating"
"Elegant Free Skating"
"Radiant Free Skating"
"Captivating Free Skating"
"Uplifting Rhythm Dance"
"Emotional Rhythm Dance"
"Amazing Rhythm Dance"
"Unforgettable Short Program"
"Flawless Short Program"
"Mesmerising Short Program"
"Marvelous Short Program"
"Stunning Short Program"
"Striking Short Program"
"Inspiring Short Program"

[Boys, but it pained me to type those out using American spellings! But, I had to copy them exactly as they are displayed.]

What a load of codswallop!

Looks like allowing comments and the live chat are not the only things that the official ISU Junior GP YouTube channel are using to try to boost viewing figures. Now they are trying to turn the individual videos into clickbait!

Have they lost their minds?! Do they not realise that making things look like clickbait actually drives people away from viewing?!

Everything they're doing. It's just bizarre!

CaroLiza_fan

I thought it was sweet.

 

[moonvine]

Kinda surprised this is bring discussed just now.
I raised my brows, seeing presence of live chat on JGP videos and knew what will come with it.

The thing is...majority of those 'live chatting' had no stinking clue about how a skater looks in real view. I really strongly recommend going to live competitions to see how athleticism looks like. Oh, and courage to step onto the ice with purpose to give your best, even it their 'best' is lame for your 'standards'.
Plus people have real problem about understanding how human body is built and that we are not coming from unified form. I won't even start about lack of basic understanding on puberty process, it's not worth to overwrite myself when the targeted group has no will to listen (I. e. 'live chatting' ones).

In short - live chat shouldn't be even a thing for JGP, I could make a case this being applicable also for senior circuit. Society being judgemental - and having unrealistic standards set for everyone based on subjective preferences and unrealistic picture of 'model' figure skater (or, more precisely, a model that is not attainable, nor sustainable for the majority) - makes it easy to predict what will happen with 'opinions' voiced about skaters, especially small fed ones. And then those 'opinions' will focus on the bodies, which is an embarrassment that society really cannot focus on their stuff and keeps on instrumentalizing and weaponizing human bodies against athletes.

Some folks should be taught to shut their traps if their brains can produce only feces. Yeah, I'm not a Saint, I have MANY opinions and some of you would have a field day of reporting if I had time and audacity to post all of stuff that sits in my brain skating-wise. But I simply don't. And none of my opinions is about skaters body - because as someone who's overweight and never attempted organised sport/being a competitive athlete, I simply do have any mandate to judge anyone's body. There is also a part of decent human being in that department, but in times like we have now the concept is foreign to many.

No more Gracies.

 

[moonvine]

I think that the ISU has just turned off the live chat replay, so people can chat while watching, but after the competition is over, the comments will be gone. I'm not sure how much of it is saved while the stream is still going, though, as I could see someone getting off the ice and immediately going to see what the comments were.

The comments are still there for replays, albeit “best off.” I can’t read Russian and most of them seem to be in Russian. I just cast it up to my TV and the comments are all gone then.

 

[Lurker11]

I think it's best for anyone under 18 to not have access to social media.

 

[el henry]

I thought it was sweet.te

I actually don't mind the clickbait headers.

Am I way too classy, cultured and highbrow for the "Most Amazing Short Program Ever!!!" headline? Of course I am But it's not meant for me. Believe it or not these kinds of headers *do* attract people to the video. And I welcome anything that gets even one new person to watch a skating video.

The live chat, on the other hand, with comments about skaters' weight, small fed skaters' performance, snotty comparisons to other skaters: that can only turn people off.

The chatbox should go.

 

[yyzskater]

I actually don't mind the clickbait headers.

Am I way too classy, cultured and highbrow for the "Most Amazing Short Program Ever!!!" headline? Of course I am But it's not meant for me. Believe it or not these kinds of headers *do* attract people to the video. And I welcome anything that gets even one new person to watch a skating video.

The live chat, on the other hand, with comments about skaters' weight, small fed skaters' performance, snotty comparisons to other skaters: that can only turn people off.

The chatbox should go.

I agree. I think anyone wanting to rewatch the competition isn't going to not watch because of the headings. And it may entice new viewers to watch the videos. That being said,
I do prefer the title page that the ISU uses for their seniors and synchro as the giant neon letters look a little amateurish. And the adjectives used needs a bit of tweaking. "Twinkling" and "Exceptional" does not give off anywhere close to the same vibe...

 

[icewhite]

I think it's best for anyone under 18 to not have access to social media.

Lol. Reminds me, my son's current topic in his English classes is social media and what it does to your self-image etc. But he doesn't use any social media. None of the tasks his teacher gives them and which he's supposed to write 2-3 pages about do make any sense for him, but obviously his teacher does not consider such teenagers a group with enough relevance to give them other tasks...

Seriously, you can say "they shouldn't", but for today's youth that's like saying "nobody should have sex before they're 30".

 

[icewhite]

I agree. I think anyone wanting to rewatch the competition isn't going to not watch because of the headings. And it may entice new viewers to watch the videos. That being said,
I do prefer the title page that the ISU uses for their seniors and synchro as the giant neon letters look a little amateurish. And the adjectives used needs a bit of tweaking. "Twinkling" and "Exceptional" does not give off anywhere close to the same vibe...

I always think such headlines look cheap and avoid stuff like that like
If the ISU really thinks that's the way to go and they can't come up with a better strategy to gain fans... it shows they don't have any creative minds doing the work.
But of course that's a completely different topic, it's not really a question of ethics.

 

[macy]

And another thing that’s annoying with the chat is if they asked for example if Yuzuru was competing…sir/ma’am, this is a JUNIORS event.

that tells you A LOT about the skating knowledge (or severe lack of) floating around in there

 

[icewhite]

that tells you A LOT about the skating knowledge (or severe lack of) floating around in there

Isn't that pretty much always the case in such chat boxes for sports events? Most popular question of course is "when does it start" and "when does xy start". That's alright, but you will get the question 100 times at least and it's the same answer each time.
There is one thing they are good for imo, that's when your stream isn't working and you realize it's the same for all others and it's not the fault of your technical setup... that's basically it. Even the chatboxes at the chess world championships seem full of ignorant and very vulgar people.