Broadcasting things live is a tricky thing.  There’s always this element of the ‘unknown’ and I think that’s what freaks some people out.  I think that’s what causes people to shy away from it and decide to not do it.  There’s also this element of making yourself subject to the public in real time.  Where all you can do is react to people and what the decide to do.  I think this freaks people out too.

I don’t know how many of you showed up to Jonny Diaz’s Live Chat last night, but if you did you noticed the “one chatter”.  You know the one.  The fifteen year old hiding in his mom’s basement typing the most offensive things he his middle school brain can think of to try to get a reaction from the rest of the chatters.  Now, most of you know, this stuff happens.  If you’ve ever been on any sort of live chatting thing, there’s always some scholar that throws out obscenities to try to get a reaction and it’s pretty easy to ban them from the chat.  However, last night was a little different.

Due to some technical issues beyond my control and the flippant attitude for customer service expressed by Ustream I was somehow blocked out from being able to ban Mr. Offensive Chatter.  What should have taken two clicks of a mouse turned into three phone calls and creating a whole new account to simply log in and block him.  The problem?  It’s a game now and he’s trying to be more offensive.

So, ten minutes and several comments later, I was finally able to ban him from the chat with no help from Ustream or even an, “I’m sorry this happened.”  Not scoring points for Ustream.

So, bottom line.  If you were offended, annoyed, distracted, or whatever else last night during the chat I apologize.  Some time this stuff happens and we’ve got to just roll with it.  Next I’ll be writing an email to the co-founder of Ustream to ask him if he thinks I should switch back to Mogulus for our live broadcasts.

+ (While a frustrated post, I am still being positive… except for my attitude toward Ustream)