I have already seen one large general discussion forum close - SagaZone. It was at least in the beginning an excellent forum. It's closure (and the way of its closing) was a very unpleasant business, resulting in much unhappiness. It's members dispersed around other forums, some like myself ending up in DS.

The problem with general forums are the commercial organisations that run them. Unfortunately forums aren't as popular or money making as Twitter or Facebook. They become a financial and administrative burden.

In the absence of a Mark Zuckerberg to found a general forum, I've long thought that a member run forum might be a possible solution as commercial forums close.

But they'll still keep the secret forum, right ? That's the best bit....

We can finally open up the McCann of worms!

I can't wait

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...1&postcount=21

I've read that post, and i've commented multiple times that "no current plans" means just that. If Hearst decide to close the forums because the revenue they're generating isn't enough to justify the staffing costs then the mods will be the last to know and they'll then - hopefully - have to tell everyone else.

So no "current" plans can easily mean something might happen down the line once the review of the company has been done.

Anyone can set up a forum on Facebook. It just needs people to run it.

I am not, not have I ever been, "Keio Lime"

ah that's what Keio would say i bet you want us to believe you don't have two noses or a cat sanctuary either

The forums made this site into what it became.

Possibly, but keep quiet about it.

Still say they revert the front page to the original format.
When they removed the comments section it was a disaster, they also need to cut back on the "what it and maybe" stories. Cutting down on the Animated Gifs another idea.

Looks like he's blown his cover.

I know of a good site with a general discussion forum. In fact I often see the same duplicate post on both sites.

Then why say


Seems you'd not be happy either way

Considering the alexa site figures say that the forum amounts for 98% of the visitors to DS, I'd say you're probably right, but then I suppose that in itself doesn't bode well for the forums considering how little profit they likely make.

I don't think there's a site that has as many forums like this one does.

Are we the only ones with that awful Sam Smith Bond theme stuck in our heads after reading the title of this thread?

Dunno, but I have KC and The Sunshine Band's song 'Please Don't Go!' ringing in my ears.

Who he? Harry Lime's younger brother? Certainly not our erstwhile cat sanctuary owner, possessor of multiple nasal appendages, and leaker of confidential plans for the future of the forums... Different name. A clever ruse to avoid telling the truth without lying, perhaps?

You're not now

I appreciate you probably can't comment either way, but would you ideally like to let people know in advance if the forums are closing ?

I know that's kind of a "how long is a piece of string" question but it would be nice to know you'd at least give us the chance to find somewhere else

The downsizing is the loss of approx 60 jobs or so said a guardian (I think) journalist. If you go on his twitter linked in the original thread it's there for all to see

Digital Spy doesn't employ 60 people in total... That figure referred to job losses across Hearst.

The last part of Digital Spy to go would be the forums, what with it's thousands of pieces of user generated content / advertising space being created every day.

Indeed - and without the forums there'd be virtually no traffic at all. So "downsizing" would not, logically, involve closing the forums.

yeah i've read that as well. while i don't think that the forums have a staff of 60, i imagine at least some of the forum staff might be affected.

Whatever happens, they'd certainly have my sympathy because i'd hate to see anyone lose their jobs under this current government.