Template:Did you know nominations/Syrnet

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Jolly Ω Janner 05:56, 26 February 2016 (UTC)

Syrnet

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... that Syrnet is a Syrian pirate radio network launched in September 2013 to broadcast information to citizens that is suppressed or manipulated by state-run media?

ALT1:... that Syrnet is a pirate radio network which uses small, portable radio transmitters to subvert the the Assad regime's control over Syria's communications infrastructure?
ALT2:... that people in Syria are using small, portable radio transmitters to create Syrnet, a network of pirate radio broadcasts committed to moderate opposition of the Assad regime?
Comment: This is the 5th time I've nominated an article for DYK. I hope to perform a review soon, but thought I'd mention this in case I don't get to it before someone reviews this one. Also note I just nominated Pocket FM for DYK, which is a related subject. It may make sense for them to be scheduled for different days? — Rhododendrites ^talk \\ 19:04, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Created by Rhododendrites (talk). Self-nominated at 19:04, 27 January 2016 (UTC).

I have a preference for ALT2. I couldn't find support in the sources for "suppressed or manipulated" or "subvert" so that rules out the first two. Otherwise the article itself is GTG (new enough (just), long enough and just within QPQ. See below a small proposed amendment to the text:

ALT3 ... that small, portable radio transmitters are being used in Syria to create Syrnet, a network of pirate radio broadcasts committed to moderate opposition of the Assad regime?

The "committed to moderate opposition" is cited in the NPR reference.

Oncenawhile (talk) 11:35, 5 February 2016 (UTC)

Full review needed. BlueMoonset (talk) 01:08, 15 February 2016 (UTC)
The article is new and long enough, QPQ works out, no copyvios present and the hook is adequately sourced. I do however have an issue with the hook, and that is the word 'moderate' in it. Even though it is sourced, I feel this runs contrary to WP:NPOV. Who is a moderate and who is an extremist is a tough thing to determine for an encyclopedia that makes a point out of remaining neutral. Let me introduce ALT3 to rectify this.—♦♦ AMBER^(ЯʘCK) 23:33, 21 February 2016 (UTC)

ALT4:... that people in Syria are using small, portable radio transmitters to create Syrnet, a network of pirate radio broadcasts committed to oppose the Assad regime?

"Moderate" and descriptions thereof are in a couple of the sources. By virtue of broadcasting this way, they are, of course, acting in a way that is contrary to the policies of the Assad regime and so could be said to be in opposition, but they add the "moderate" qualifier as a way to expressing that integrity is the goal, rather than broadcasting propaganda against Assad (this is just to provide context). My only concern with regard to "committed to oppose the Assad regime" is that the goals aren't always political -- on one level it's just about having workable mass communication infrastructure to transmit practical information. It even broadcasts entertainment that has nothing to do with politics. So it's aligned with the moderate opposition, but based on what I've read (which is just the sources here and at Pocket FM), it seems odd to frame it this way. — Rhododendrites ^talk \\ 04:16, 22 February 2016 (UTC)

These sources do not make clear what moderate groups were using Syrnet, and over the course of this awful civil war we have seen various opposition groups operating under the moderate label who - by later accounts - should perhaps have not been on there. In the fog of war, it's probably best to avoid terms that apply friendly labels to parties involved in the conflict. —♦♦ AMBER^(ЯʘCK) 22:19, 25 February 2016 (UTC)

ALT5:... that when the Assad regime exerts control over Syria's communications infrastructure, citizens are still able to listen to Syrnet, a pirate radio network enabled by small, portable radio transmitters?

Similar to ALT1, more or less without "subvert". It's backed up in multiple sources, but most explicitly in The Local. — Rhododendrites ^talk \\ 04:29, 22 February 2016 (UTC)
Follow-up. I tweaked it. The way I had worded it, it sounded like Syrnet fired up when Assad shuts down communications, but the point is that it's always running regardless. — Rhododendrites ^talk \\ 04:35, 22 February 2016 (UTC)

for ALT4. ALT5 seems to imply that Assad only shuts down media, while the article describes him as filtering the media or using said media to broadcast propaganda. Since that can be confusing, I'm opting to go with ALT4.—♦♦ AMBER^(ЯʘCK) 22:19, 25 February 2016 (UTC)