I wrote an article about the unfair and biased moderation tactics are Timezone.com because I wanted watch enthusiasts to understand how Timezone.com was being operated and managed. The aBlogtoRead.com article on Timezone.com can be viewed here. The response to the article was overwhelmingly in agreement with me, even though I actually anticipated some backlash, which there was none. It appears as though the accumulated watch loving population online does not love Timezone.
Another forum website called TZ-UK.com, also known as of Timezone UK is not related to Timezone.com, but occasional confusion is likely due to the name. TZ-UK is an excellent site mostly because of its knowledgeable and energetic participants. While I am not sure how long this has been in effect, I recently noticed for the first time a well-chosen tag line located on the TZ-UK.com banner saying: “A friendly place to discuss watches without oppressive moderation.” I think the meaning is clear. TZ-UK not only does not want to be associated with Timezone, but is making a clear statement about its disapproval with Timezone.com’s practices and policies.
All this time Timezone.com has been silent, as I expected they would be. Why would they comment? They aren’t particularly ashamed of their conduct, nor are they trying to hide it. In fact, I imagine many of their moderators and advertisers are quite proud of it. Something watch lovers tend to understandably forget is that the watch industry is a business, whose goal it is to sell watches. Like any modern industry, high volume necessitates some reduction in quality from time to time, so not every watch is going to be prefect or have wonderful things said about it. That is where marketing comes into compensate. Timezone.com is a shrouded marketing tool meant to make watch products look good. Attempting to hide negative content while bolstering (or making up) positive content. This is an accepted status quo, but again my dispute with Timezone.com has always been their guise as a consumer-driven forum, which it clearly is not.
Personally, I like TZ-UK.com’s tag line, and applaud them for being so brazen about it. More power to them for being so outspoken about who they are, and who they are not. That particular brand of open communication with a user base is a welcome deviation from hype and hyperbole.