This past Sunday, upon my return from a much needed vacation, I found that I had received several communications wondering if TWIS was cancelled. Not understanding where the rumor had started, and a bit confused from my recent sun, surf, and sand infusion, I investigated.
It turns out the rumors are both true and untrue, as rumors will tend to be.
The rumors were probably ignited when the TWIS.org website went down sometime within the past two weeks. I wasn’t aware of the problem until my return, and fixed it as soon as I was able. For those interested, something triggered Apache service on the server to shut off. Simple problem, but a pain since I wasn’t around to fix it.
Then, rumblings began about a week ago about Leo saying that TWIS was cancelled. I spoke with Lisa Kentzell, CEO of TWiT.tv, today about the topic, and was informed that TWiT is restructuring. Part of the restructuring involves no longer supporting 3rd party shows, of which TWIS is one. As many of you already know, TWIS is my program, and actually predates TWiT by several years. Technically, TWiT cannot cancel TWIS. They can, however, remove it from their schedule… which they have done.
So, what does this news mean for TWIS and all of you minions? The answer is that I don’t really know yet. I am considering options for continuing to broadcast TWIS on my own. Google+ offers a possible platform through which TWIS might easily and seamlessly continue. Alternatively, I might consider other platforms like Justin.tv and UStream.tv. I have Wirecast and can use it. We might think about moving to another network. Or, there is always the possibility that this signals the end for TWIS.
I have made no decisions yet, and would love your feedback and advice. TWIS is nothing without you! Whatever we do, I want it to be the best decision for the entire community.
For the time being, TWIS will continue to air on TWiT.tv on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm PT. We will probably do our last show on the TWiT network within the month of July. You will be kept in the loop, so expect to hear more from me here and on all the social networks where we have a presence.
TWiT has been an amazing home for TWIS over the past couple of years. The entire team at TWiT has been supportive and helpful in ways that can’t ever be quantified or, for that matter, paid back properly. I want to thank Leo for giving us a place in TWiT.tv’s lineup for so long, and everyone else for the hours of work that went in to making the show happen (especially our trainee engineers ;). From the bottom of my heart, I wish the very best to TWiT.
–Kirsten
aka. Dr. Kiki
