Originally Posted by dannyjames
The issue is we HAVE to get stuff out of the channels if they are off topic ASAP, else the judging quickly loses appeal.
-Daniel

Daniel,
Here's a possible solution for your consideration.
Maybe you can create a "Wild Card" Channel to resolve the "Off Topic" problem.
Here's how it would work:

If artists choose to place their song in this channel, then it's up to the judges (voters) to decide which channel it SHOULD belong in. A simple majority (vote count) "rules" and automatically moves that track into the voted channel.

This would also work as a "catch all" for tracks that get kicked out of a channel because they are truly "OFF TOPIC"! (For example, finding Hip-Hop tracks in the World channel)

Once a track gets entered (by artists) or moved (by judges) into the "Wild Card" channel, it becomes open game for judges to suggest (by vote) which channel to move it too. The Wild Card channel could also attract judges & fans that might enjoy hearing more variety while also having the "power" to help move songs into the most appropriate channels.

Some "Wild Card" guidelines:
It might take at least 3 votes (from 3 diff. judges) to move a song OUT of an inappropriate channel. That will probably happen quickly in the case of obvious Off Topic violations. Once a song has been moved to an appropriate channel it can stay their unless at least 4 judges (voters) move it into a better channel, but that's less likely to happen after the first major "move".

My guess is that within the first few days of each contest round, ALL songs will have been properly "channeled" (i.e. placed in the right channel) and there will be no "orphaned" or "off topic" songs left on any channel. Problem solved!

Bottom line... I think moving a song to a more appropriate channel is a better idea then deleting or removing songs from a contest because of "poor judgement" on the part of competing artists. Let all songs compete, but let them get MOVED into the right channel (as needed) by the judges.

I have some songs that are a "fusion" of several styles, so I would rather enter them in a Wild Card channel and let the judges (voters/fans) decide which channel to move them to. In the end, it's still the same song, so I don't mind which channel it ends up in as long as the judges like my music!

To mind comes a classic JPF judging guideline... "Vote for the songs that move you"!
Michael

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