clipped from www.cybersoc.com

Works: A chat room where the presenter dips in and out of the conversation, reads comments from the chat on air, uses the chat room to actually drive part of the programme works because the effort expended in hosting the chat is well spent.

Doesn't Work:  A stand alone chat room fails because someone with better stuff to do has to sit there and moderate it.

Works: A focused, topical, editorially relevant discussion off the back of a piece of content can add value to that content for participants and non-participants alike.

Doesn't Work: An open ended discussion space where participants set the agenda, chit-chat about what they want and chit-chat drifts far away from the editorial of the site or page does little, if anything, to add value for non-participants.

Doesn't Work: A facebook group that simply tells audience members what they already know or can find out easily - the time and content of the programme.