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From the editor

Stepping down

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By Tilman Bayer

After thirteen months as the Signpost's editor-in-chief, I am now stepping down. I think that the Signpost serves a very important role in informing the community, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience working to fulfill this with the members of the Signpost's core team and the many more people who are constantly helping us with occasional tips, contribute one-off stories, make suggestions on how to improve the Signpost, or just do some copyediting and fact-checking. Jarry1250 is overseeing the publication of this issue (besides his regular duty on the "Technology Report" beat), while discussion about the future organization of the Signpost's editorial process continues.

The reason I am resigning as editor is that I am taking up work for the Wikimedia Foundation, supporting movement communication activities as part of the WMF's communications team. While I see this work as ultimately directed toward the same goal of informing the community (and an opportunity for myself to devote more consistent and sustained activity toward it), it would make it too much of a conflict of interest if I were to continue to make final editorial decisions for a community-run publication. To cite my predecessor Ragesoss' remarks when he left last year for similar reasons: "Holding the powerful to account is a core purpose of the broadsheets we've tried to emulate. I've always viewed the Signpost's independence from, and constructively critical stance toward, the Foundation as a key part of the Signpost's identity—if at times an underdeveloped one." As a regular writer for the Signpost's "News and notes" section, I have tried to provide that kind of independent coverage, now it is other writers' turn. However, I will continue to support the Signpost both as a WMF employee and as a volunteer, offering to write from an explicit Foundation perspective or about non-COI issues.

Around a year ago when I took up the editorship, we had many discussions about the Signpost's direction, and a consensus emerged to increase coverage beyond the English Wikipedia, symbolized by a slight rename from "Wikipedia Signpost" to "The Signpost". I think we have managed to follow through, while staying strong in our reporting about the English Wikipedia, e.g. in the revamped Featured Content section. The global Signpost subscriptions on other Wikimedia projects that we introduced last September have been a success, and the global message delivery service set up by MZMcBride for this purpose has now found numerous other uses for movement-wide communications. Another testament to the Signpost's enduring popularity is that its publication process and template system were adapted by two other movement newsletters founded this year, WikiPatrika and This month in GLAM.

Another important trend is the role of social media (outside the wikis), especially microblogging, which appears to be taken up by more and more Wikimedians. The Signpost's Identi.ca and Twitter presences have proven important to gather and disseminate timely news (with the latter currently approaching 2000 followers).

A recent first for the Signpost is having one of our writers attend a conference as a dedicated Signpost correspondent, in this case at the invitation of the Foundation's Public Policy Initiative – you can read the resulting coverage in this issue and the upcoming one.

Thank you for reading and contributing to the Signpost.

Regards, Tilman Bayer

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So basically, editor of the The Signpost is a job application? Sad. Malleus Fatuorum 23:54, 11 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think you would spend many years contributing to the Signpost & one long year editing it -- a totally underappreciated and demanding job, incidentally -- if you weren't interested in improving movement communications. Similarly, I don't think you would apply for a communications job if you weren't interested in and talented at it. Around here, one's contributions stand or fall on their own merit :) And yes, HaeB, you did a great job as editor and will be greatly missed. -- phoebe / (talk to me) 02:19, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
As I said, sad. Malleus Fatuorum 02:27, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
So basically, someone does something good and you're disapproving and always finding faults and being cynical? Sad. -- PhantomSteve.alt/talk\[alternative account of Phantomsteve] 06:01, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
I think what Malleus means to say is that this "stepping down" makes the editor position look like a job rather than a volunteer position, though I don't agree with him. I also echo the others in saying that HaeB will be missed. —James (Talk • Contribs) • 4:28pm • 06:28, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Interesting. That wasn't my take at all.--SPhilbrickT 01:17, 15 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

You will be missed! G'luck. jorgenev 23:55, 11 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

  • Congratulations HaeB! You've done great work at The Signpost and will continue to do great work at WMF! See you soon =) SarahStierch (talk) 00:08, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for all your hard work! -- Ssilvers (talk) 01:02, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks and congrats. For the work and then the new gig. I like the independance. That is a reason why USNI Proceedings has the success that it does. Also, like the coverage of overall Web 2.0 things, to include Sanger-land and Wikipedia Review. Plus I think of this as a little Asgard-rag (Whewalt would translate)...and then just supplying some of the "did the high school paper" instincts. Like the guys who always turn out (there's always some) to be in the recruit band at boot camp.TCO (reviews needed) 02:29, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

  • Thanks for your work and good luck with your new venture. Carrite (talk) 02:39, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • All the Best wishes, HaeB. You will be definitely missed! -- Tinu Cherian - 05:09, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks for your work and effort! I've really enjoyed reading The Signpost. eug (talk) 06:58, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • I've learnt a lot from HaeB. He's really impressive. Managing Editor of The Signpost is like FAC, FLC, TFA manager or delegate: a heavy-duty role for which it's appropriate that editors be appointed or take on the "job" via consensus. I guess it might have to be a rotating system, at least initially, if a single person doesn't materialise. But there's always hope. Tony (talk) 15:03, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thank you HaeB: I have been very favorably impressed by the way The Signpost has developed under your stewardship. I am not surprised that you have been hired away, and it reflects well on your new employer. ~ Ningauble (talk) 15:42, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks for all your contributions to the signpost. --J36miles (talk) 21:54, 12 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Thanks. You missed mentioning Telugu Wikipedia as the first non english language wikipedia to start a newsletter called (recently in its 6th issue) inspired by Signpost. Best wishes for your new role.-- Arjunaraoc 04:19, 13 July 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Arjunaraoc (talk • contribs) 
que triste, señor
te vamos a extrañar :'( LegrisKe (talk) 06:05, 13 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]


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