User blog:Squidnerd/CLEAN REPEAL OF THE FEATURED CONTENT SYSTEM!

Greetings blasted buffoons. Yesterday, I introduced a proposal that would repeal the Media category of the Featured Content. I actually desire repealing the whole thing, but I separated it because the media category is the most controversial. But in this thing, we are going to cleanly repeal the entire thing.

Let's start with an overview. The Featured Content system is as old as the wiki itself, and many quality pieces of fanfiction were promoted under it.

Reasons

 * Since at least 2016, memes have taken over the vast majority of nominations, and the vast users who support the meme overtake the hardworking creator and staff of an unlucky article/spin-off with passion in it. Take SpongeBob: 2022 for example. It lost to POOP! 2. That is, in all honesty, disgraceful. Featured Content isn't supposed to be a bloody meme, it's supposed to be the best of what this wiki offers.
 * The method for featured content are polls, a notoriously unreliable feature. I'm not treating Featured Content towards something that really matters, such as user rights requests, but we should at least be more good with it. Technically, the policy states that they will be pitted against by blog, which I'll explain more in my next point.
 * The administration doesn't really care. Since at least 2014, admins have to be constantly reminded that the voting period has expired and it's time to update. It's an embarrassment to have something that sticks out on the main page to be outdated, sometimes for months on end. I had to remind the black duck to update it when this month started.

Effects

 * The waitist for Featured Content will be closed effective immediately after passing. This proposal may be extended if there is a shortage ongoing.
 * Considering the waitlist, the system itself shall be shutdown on December 31, 2019. This date is chosen as articles have been on the waitlist for weeks, and shutting it down immediately would seem as a waste.

Alternatives
I'm fully aware that this is a very controversial proposal. But I will say, there are indeed alternatives. Instead of having a government-owned system that are decided via poll, which are rigged easily, we can go for private user-based award shows, which typically are hosted via blog posts and go through an additional nomination stage. It also is divided into several catgeories, where fanfictions can be sorted on what it's the best at. Look at the Square Logo Award titles: Best User, Best Drama, Best Meme, etc. Compare that to the featured content system, which divides it into three very vague and broad categories.

Support, Neutral, or Oppose. Voting ends October 17.

—It's time some real change happens on this wiki.