Choosing a channel manager has been quite questionable in the last 2 years. I guess it is not only that you have no projects in your hands it is something else that I’ve been trying to figure out lol
The last time I became a manager was in 2023 And it was not a Korean title was a Chinese one : I was appointed as a manager for a Korean title in 2021 Sigh… And I have been applying as a manager for Korean titles until now.
I have already recommended creating a simple list where a vikier can not be added as managers more than 3 times in a whole year. And they should only be appointed as a manager once for each language (Either Korean, Chinese or Japanese or any other language. That would give a CHANCE to any Vikier.
I’m just trying to figure out HOW people can even apply. They are obviously NOT using the Project Finder for Channel Managers. I’m lucky, and that says a LOT, if I find a channel that is looking for CMs and I’m able to apply. I haven’t been able to for a while. I did get Si Jin, just came upon the channel by accident the day they had it open to apply and I got it. But since then, I check almost daily and nothing. SEVERAL dramas have aired these past two weeks and I’ve no clue how the CMs got the job…
I’m starting to wonder if it’s an inside thing… and I’m on the outside.
I’m on the outside together with you on the outside of desert isolated island. Itd our Viki staff that give it to them when they wrote to them in private massage so for some show there isn’t even a chance to apply because cm is added with the show😅. And some got one after another, or couple same time so that close our circle to grow on Viki, so because of that the amount of unfairness is not bearable. It’s I guess better to let go, since nothing had change. Because I’m done with " thank you for your interest" reading massage when o see same people again and again choose. Viki should revalue their choosing policy to let more contributors give a chance. Since I see some contributors literally flooded with work and ongoing project but still got cm on after another. so idk what’s the problem but it more and more visibly to everyone. Idk maybe I’m not lucky enough or just don’t know how to do it behind the scenes to make it work. It’s sad to be true because it shows that rules fair play don’t count anymore.
Currently, the official limit is 6 times per year (which includes taking over an old channel or giving up on one). But there are exceptions for mentoring and “very good performance.” Well, this may result in skipping editors and extending the preparation list for moderators while someone demands you to translate within 24 hours… eventually.
Source: https://contributorhelp.viki.com/hc/en-us/articles/28309001320339-How-are-Channel-Managers-selected
I have seen most of the channels looking for a Channel Manager, but they often got assigned within few hours or even less. They are suddenly extremely fast in choosing them
Generally speaking, I think it’s a good thing to mentor people. However, not everyone approaching you actually needs this very channel to raise their levels in accordance to the guidelines.
Level 1 is being a Co-CM. Level 2 is about movies or short library dramas etc. However, then it should be mostly CMs stuck at their level to choose a drama level that helps them to raise their ranks (doing a level twice is only required for level 4 and 5) instead of doing levels they basically completed.
Passing by just to say something that should give people a different perspective (and a real one) besides the one that some of you are trying to portray here. It could be useful for those who want to start as CMs.
So, there is no underground group of Viki staff and the contributors appointed as CMs. There is just one Viki staff member doing the appointments on the criterion we have in the CM path and, probably, on some other criterion we don’t know.
Just because one is asking the staff for a channel, it doesn’t mean they will receive it right away. Sometimes, that CM could end up asking for many channels in 3-4 months and receiving nothing. Sometimes, they could end up asking for at least 1 channel from a specific country, and years can pass without getting that channel because the staff has already decided what category of channels a specific CM should get.
Sometimes, it is not just about what the Viki staff is doing wrong, but about what we did wrong to get this result. And, sometimes, it’s not even the fault of anyone; it’s just how things are going.
But… there is always a ”but”. I can see a specific practice among some people in order to get the channels they want, so the coCM thing is very beneficial for them. Without doing any minimum research, they get people as newbie CMs without any accountability. So that’s how we will end with a new group of very irresponsible CMs.
Later edit: there is also the practice of some CMs asking for coCM even though they already have the capability, according to the CM Path, to be CM on their own. I find it so pitiful to go around and ask almost everyone to take you as coCM since you are already good to go alone for the role.
And I want to add one more thing: we all know that Viki has some issues with their platform for not displaying at the same time for everyone and everywhere the new channels. I’m already used with not seeing channels anyhwere on Viki and suddenly see the appointment of CMs. The most recent one, a BL, I found out about coming to Viki from their F-acebook page, and the next morning, I checked all the pages I have for new channels, and there was no channel. A few hours later, I saw the appointment of the CM on the VCC Discord server. So, probably the CM asked Viki directly for it, or they just searched for it on the website and found it, even though the channel didn’t appear on any other page with the new channels. This is for sure related to the cache/index of their website. I say this because I work with websites every day at my workplace.
The BL channel (that you are talking about) was created by Viki on April 15th, but was still closed. You know, when you click on the link to the page, you get the message “Something went wrong…”. On April 16th morning around 5am (I didn’t look at the clock and deleted the message from Viki) the channel was open and you could apply to be a CM. I was the first applicant. The CM was there around 6 o’clock. So you could apply to be a CM for about an hour.
Yes, but we still have the main problem: the new channels aren’t displayed instantly everywhere and for everyone. It can happen to have a new channel on the Coming Soon page but not on the Project Finder page, and vice versa. We can also have the new channel on the staff’s profiles as they work on them, but not on the Project Finder and/or Coming Soon page. And, as I said, this one wasn’t visible to me on any of the pages, not even after the appointment of the CM, but 1-2 hours later, and even though I wasn’t interested in applying for it, I can understand this part of the frustration that some have.
If it was 5am your time, then those of us in the US/North America were asleep. One hour is not enough given time. At least 24 hours so EVERYONE around the world on Viki gets a chance to see it and apply if they wish.
This is the problem that I speak. Why have the Project Finder if they aren’t going to use it and give those of us a chance? Again, Si Jin was a fluke… I just happened to see it, and like you said, within minutes I was contacted that I got it.
But I don’t know what dramas are available and are coming because there are so many of them. And once I finally get word of a new one, it’s already taken with a full team involved.
I guess I could privately write @fsl_viki and ask for a channel, but to me it feels like I’m being dirty-handed and cheating because I’m not giving others a chance, like in the old days when we all had a chance to apply.
I don’t know… but this is getting tiresome and monotonous seeing the same people over and over getting channels. Viki used to be all-inclusive to everyone. Now it’s only to a select few
Sorry to see you packing your “bags,” but I fully agree. Although I’m not yet planning to leave, Viki is getting lower and lower on my priority list. Too much unfairness to keep caring…
It seems that many of you have been fortunate and managed to take on more CM positions than before. Sadly, that has not been my experience.
This year, I was assigned just one new channel and one movie adaptation from a two-year-old project.
I know I do not apply very often, but even so, it is difficult not to notice how others are given opportunity after opportunity.
Do not get me wrong – I am genuinely happy for them – but it does make me question myself. What am I missing? What am I doing wrong?
Even with only one Mod channel, I keep getting passed over, and the rejections have piled up to the point where I stopped counting.
So yes, I truly relate to what was said in that first thread. That feeling of being stuck on the sidelines while others move forward – it’s hard to shake.
I know Viki doesn’t react to this thread, but yeah… just my thoughts
Yup feel you. I recently got answer and let’s say it was not satisfying. I’ll share since I don’t think it’s bad.
[We hear your concerns about the Community Manager (CM) selection process, and we genuinely understand why you might feel that some selections appear unfair, especially when you see certain members receiving multiple opportunities while others wait a long time. We want to assure you that we are committed to maintaining a fair and transparent process for all our community members.
Your dedication, and that of your fellow contributors, is truly valued, and we recognize how important it is for everyone to feel motivated and have a chance to contribute.]
So they know clearly what’s happening. Tho fair and transparent process is like, let’s say slap in the face. So don’t feel discourage. Many feel same as you.
And sometimes when I see ''Ohh I didn’t expect… ‘’ It kind of push me, since it’s funny because aplication button dont push itself.
It is called “selective choice” and actions speak louder than words… I feel for you and those who are so often put on the back burner while some just get preferential status… I wonder why?
This was in the back of the old days and seems not to go away… I see this too.
Even some seasoned veterans get overshadowed… perhaps there was change in staff who knows only certain CMs??
Let me take the choosing of a CM issue to another sub-topic and the non-responsiveness of viki staff. Occasionally, I ask to be appointed replacement CM of a K drama which is several years old and has no currently active CM. At the time of the original airing for each such channel I requested, I had been Chief Editor and the cover page still says so.
In the past on at least one occasion, I, as well as all other original moderators, was asked to apply for the position of replacement channel manager. At the time of the rare solicitation, we were all told it was a viki policy to ask the moderators on the channel first, and to seek a CM among people who didn’t ever work on the drama only if no moderator on the channel applied for the replacement CM position. So I once asked viki how come they had appointed someone who had never previously worked on a specific drama as replacement CM without first asking the existing moderators. I was told in writing, the appointment was per viki guidelines for replacement CM. I then asked what those guidelines were and was told to write to fsl for details. I promptly wrote to fsl and, as is par for the course, fsl never responded to my inquiry.
I will tell you a few horror stories about appointment of the replacement channel manager. Viki staff once appointed someone who became a QC by subbing in loltalk. Viki staff have appointed someone after that someone was designated by viki staff as an abuser for plagiarizing. Is that transparent and fair to those who try to conform to the guidelines? Those were “whoopsie” moments for viki staff when I, like the child in the “Emperor has no clothes” informed viki staff just exactly who had been appointed a CM.
It’s been over three years since I was last appointed a CM so I have concluded that I have been blacklisted for being that child.
And it was not a Korean title was a Chinese one 
: I was appointed as a manager for a Korean title in 2021 
Sigh… And I have been applying as a manager for Korean titles until now.
instead of doing levels they basically completed.
and you get all the shows out there… except for the ones that don’t have a CM yet!