Polly,

There is an enherant problem in coming up with all these different catagories and any one who has ever been much involved has experienced. That is interest.
We had a similar experience on my forum in Song Ramp.com. We have about 5 pages a day of 25 posts each page. That is dialogue going on about subjects, chatting, whatever comes up. At some point different people started different threads about sub topics.
What happened? The overall activity all but dissapeared. People might find a little information they like and go for that but before long that tends to peter out as very few are drawn to sub topics. Before you notice it, everything is disspated to a level where your regular posters, simply don't do it any more. You hear a lot of people here and on other sites say "I used to be on there but just dropped out...." There are many reasons, but the more you dissapate your content, the more you weaken the overall product.

That coupled with the guy who runs this site, Brian, having health issues, when you say "assign someone to moderate" that gets tough to do in a world where everyone has their own interests.

This is the same thing that our industry goes through when you say "Why can't they be more inclusive?" The fact is that our industry is established around certain criteria and "dues paying" if you will, and while new people, styles, formats come (and many go) all the time, the real deal is that you or anyone that wants to participate have that choice, to conform or form your own sandbox. That is the same with every business or product ever invented. You adapt to the market, reshape the market or don't participate in the market.

I have no dog in this fight of new forums. Doesn't matter to me, I only have time to look at few things, make a few comments, then I am on to the things I do. If you want to take the topic "Angry Chick Singer Songs" LOL and go do that, it is cool. As always I just watch what other sites, other people, do and recognize the limitations within. I offer opinions on that.

Just one of many opinions.

MAB