November 15th,2006
So Long, and Good Luck, Duncan
The last few weeks have been very exciting for b5media, but we are sad to announce that effective immediately Duncan Riley is leaving b5.
Over the last year, Duncan made a tremendous contribution to the company, the culture and the community here at b5media. In fact, it was an email from Duncan which fuelled the discussion that eventually led to b5’s creation.
Duncan is to pursue personal projects, and from our experience over the last year we are confident that he will only go on to bigger and better things over the next months and years.
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Sounds like “effective immediately” means that you guys fired him. Over at Duncan’s blog he said he was stabbed in the back, so which is the truth?
Wow! This has left me…. speechless.
I predict this being the most moderated entry of all time.
Good luck to Duncan, and kudos for your mature and hospitable announcement.
I predict that over time we’ll find out that there’s a hell of alot more to this story than what’s in this press release.
Sounds like an interesting development. Is that all the explanation we are going to hear?
Without trying to sound sacrilegious let me say, some are called to be blog apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers. In my opinion, Duncan is an apostle. He did what apostles do…planted, helped water and establish b5media, and is now moving on to other fields.
Scrivs, Why would you say that?
It’s not like I’m going to come on here and say that I think b5 is now a laffing joke because they let a guy with character leave and that now they look like boring cardbox with a boring cardboard wrapper is it and they write about quilting upside down with Jessica Simpson.
Come on I have more respect than that.
Oh shit I forgot to mention Duncan, if you are reading this. If you are still alive. Man its sad to see you go. Wish you the best of luck.
Wait, isn’t Duncan like over in Toronto having meetings with the B5Media crew? Did Duncan get drunk and start a fight with Jeremy, Aussie pub style? YOU CALLING ME A DRUNK YA BLOODY IDIOT?!?
Aussie aussie aussie, oi oi oi…
Well, that’s sad about Duncan - but he won’t be missed by me, because I never remove anyone from my Bloglines! And, I’m sure he’ll be around and hopefully making it big elsewhere and I’ll be adding more RSS feeds to my Bloglines
It really seems disturbing that the paint has been peeled from his blog and the b5 sidebars .. so fast .. and this post without an author .. who wrote this? We need more celebrity gossip here! Everything that ever happens to b5media always seems like the best kept secret and usually has been going under the scenes for at least 2 months.
Whoa! Huge news!
Well, I hope the move was mutual, and both B5 and Duncan move on to greater success.
Rich
Hart,
Believe Jeremy wrote the entry but the new theme doesn’t have the author listed. As for the paint…. wasn’t our doing. Duncan did it himself.
Aaron .. thanks for pointing that out. Actually, I’ve meaning to mention that little thing about the authors .. it does show on the main site with the summaries, but not in the actual blog entries.. Mush! I must’ve have imagined it at least a dozen times .. Don’t you guys read my mind? :D
j/k
[…] Update 16 nov: sinds gisteren is op het weblog van b5 media te lezen dat Duncan Riley met onmiddelijke ingang weg is bij b5 media - So Long, and Good Luck, Duncan […]
Sad news indeed, but maybe good for Duncan. Some spirits are too free to be confined in a relatively small space — I can think of one other who used to be at b5.
It would be good to know what was the faultline here, and also what the financial settlement was. But b5 has become a stuffy corporation now with a Vault of Secrets.
Jeremy you need a Scoble!
Wait a minute. Regarding our financials, when did we start reporting to John Evans? Did he buy stock and I missed it?
Stand to attention, Aaron. ;-)
I just think it’s kind of silly to expect that we’re going to disclose that kind of information, John. What purpose would it serve except to satisfy your own curiosity that has nothing to do with the operations of b5 or Duncan in any way?
This has come as something of a surprise. All the best lad, good luck for the future… I’m sure you’ll continue kicking ass wherever you end up :)
Amazing how some read so much more into nothing. The imagination is a wonderful thing eh? Put it together with gobble-de-gook and you have …
gobble-de-gook
Good luck Duncan. I look forward to reading you wherever…
Wowsers at both the announcement and the discussion here. I wish both b5 and Duncan the best moving forward.
[…] From b5media: The last few weeks have been very exciting for b5media, but we are sad to announce that effective immediately Duncan Riley is leaving b5. […]
[…] The only mention from b5 is So Long and Good Luck on their blog. […]
all the best Duncan. It was you who got me started in pro blogging. Thanks for all the help !
Well, someone needs to say this…
For a company founded by people whom, less than 2 years ago, were some of the biggest advocates of blog and corporate transparency, and consulted with corporate clients on blogging best practices and open communication with their readers… the above post smacks of the very same ivory tower upper management speak and self censorship you so vehemently opposed back then.
But I’m sure Duncan will be up-front about what’s happening when he gets back in front of a computer in a few days.
This comment is not endorsed by anyone - it is personally developed between my own ears and not approved…
Someone also needs to say this Paul.
Why in the world is everyone so anti-b5? What did anyone at b5 do to any of you that you so automatically decide to judge b5 so negatively? Good grief… Have you considered that possibly, just maybe, Duncan had a hand in his own demise at b5. Why does everyone assume that Duncan has no stake in what has developed? Are you all jealous?
Now we’ll no doubt get to watch how folks disrespect the terms of an NDA…
“Now we’ll no doubt get to watch how folks disrespect the terms of an NDA…”
Go back through the archives of some of the founders blogs, Mark. You’ll see that blogging and disclosure were written about back in the day with passion and vigor, not vagueness and sterility like it is now.
Paul… come on man - where is it written that Blogging, Blog Networks, heck, even passion and vigor, aren’t subject to change? And why is it that when anything happens at any network, folks seem to feel entitled to make demands on the network owners to do it their way?
You have had your own network and it has changed many times. Is it required of you to explain yourself to folks who make comments like these? Not really, you move on and make your changes. The choice to explain or not has been yours.
And - you didn’t answer my questions.
Mark,
When I read your questions above, I thought you were referring to everyone in the thread, not just me. So here are some answers, my own answers you requested, with full disclosure so you can understand why I wrote what I did above. I’m not trying to speak for anyone else here:
Why in the world is everyone so anti-b5?
I’m not anti-b5. Never have been. In fact, I’ve been more pro-b5 than anyone through it’s birth, infancy and growth… because I was one of the original founders. One of the original “Bloggers 5,” so to speak. You followed along on my blogs in the months before b5 was announced. Think back and reflect on how my personal and business mistakes would have held the company back and you’ll know why I backed out before b5 was announced.
What did anyone at b5 do to any of you that you so automatically decide to judge b5 so negatively?
They didn’t do anything to me personally, but I just find it quite upsetting that back then we sort of had a mission or dream and now that mission seems to be lost. The baby has grown up and didn’t turn out the way I had hoped for all this time. It’s called disappointment, not judgement. Change will happen, but I don’t have to like it and I have a right to voice my thoughts like everyone else in this thread. That ‘used to be’ what the blogosphere was all about.
Good grief… Have you considered that possibly, just maybe, Duncan had a hand in his own demise at b5. Why does everyone assume that Duncan has no stake in what has developed?
I’m absolutely sure he did.
Are you all jealous?
That question will not be dignified with an answer from me.
Now, it’s time to move on and channel my energy towards something I can believe in.
>>>That ‘used to be’ what the blogosphere was all about.
I know nothing about this situation, but can we please have a story about a blog network company that doesn’t eventually devolve into a bitchfight in the comments between employees and principals of competing blog networks? Thanks on behalf of everyone not in the industry.
“I have a right to voice my thoughts like everyone else in this thread. That ‘used to be’ what the blogosphere was all about.”
Well, obviously. I can quote it also - which means it works both ways. It also works the opposite way. If someone doesn’t want to express themselves for personal or business reasons, they don’t have to. When did the “blogosphere” make self-censorship wrong? And when did it make the demands of others for information required?
Perhaps you’re disappointed Paul but isn’t the real deal whether or not the network folks are disappointed? They’ve expressed their sadness with the situation. Why isn’t that good enough?
You’re a good man Paul, but I think the key to your disappointment is this;
“The baby has grown up and didn’t turn out the way I had hoped for all this time.”
I might be able to say the same thing about Bloglogic but in the “Krug” spirit, I won’t…
All the rest is just sh** - stirrin’ by the others…
[…] I think Duncan might have felt that same way (or along those lines) when he parted ways with b5media last month. […]
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