I have been reading a lot of good posts here helping me choose a new team of mods.
I have a few guys in the community that i think will make decent mods but, this will cause a split between the hardcore of the comunity, the ones with over 900 posts or have been registered since 2003.

Im fearfull of a backlash, there will defo be flame wars started against them

Has anyone else had this actually happen?

What i was thinking is to have them only move the spam into a spambox to actually keep track of it, and ask them to help the communtiy by starting threads, and replying to others in a helpful way, welcome new users and all that jazz, then move them to a real mod.

one more thing..
should i put an announcement asking users interested so nobody feels put out, or should i just pick a few good members i already have in mind?

Note: possibly not that common around admin circles but this is also i 'Real life' communty so i cant really afford to be to strict.

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EMS
http://www.edinburghmetalscene.co.uk

Information on gigs/bands/clubs and a resource for bands and promoters alike for metal/alternative scene

Try doin g the announcement you could do it like this AF Seeking Another Moderator!

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Will Stumpf - TalkNikon
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I'm confused...why would this create a large divide in your community?

If hiring certain people as moderators is going to make a large portion of your userbase angry, maybe those aren't the best people for the job?

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Do you mean that the older members, promoted to Moderator may be a little bossy, thinking that cause they are older members, they get more say, and can boss other members about, causing a flamewar, or something else?

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Its more the members that wont get asked to be mod, they have been around longer and posted more than some of the guys i have in mind for the mod jobs, i am expecting some to be a little miffed at least.

Or maybe im thinking about it to much, last time i hired mods was years ago, this in kinda a new area for me

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EMS
http://www.edinburghmetalscene.co.uk

Information on gigs/bands/clubs and a resource for bands and promoters alike for metal/alternative scene

I know exactly where you're coming from Jaffa as I had the same dilema at my forum. I managed to get round it and none of the longer standing members were offended in any way

I too understand exactly, some of the longer time members thought they should have been asked even though they would have been useless at the job. To get around this i posted a general thread asking for people interested to let me know which forums etc, and then dealt with each one individually. The members i was really keen to have as mods i personally contacted, which no one knew about. So yeah, it's worked well for us.

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The most qualified person for the job should get it...Just because somebody has been around at your forums for a long time does not mean that they qualify or even deserve a moderating position.

I don't think there's any way you can go with a lesser-qualified moderator in hopes that your members do not get upset...because any member who gets upset over something like that is probably not your best member in the first place, because they should know what is best for the community...Good members will recognize that certain people are better for moderating positions even if they haven't been around as long

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indeed, thanks guy's, new mods will hopefully breath new life in my dusty forums

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EMS
http://www.edinburghmetalscene.co.uk

Information on gigs/bands/clubs and a resource for bands and promoters alike for metal/alternative scene

Ryan makes a good point, if a member complains over not getting a mod position then they probably weren't the best member for the job anyways.

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