Category: site news

Hi everyone,

Over the past few weeks, you have probably noticed that Degrassi Online has not been updated as frequently as it once was. I wanted to let everyone know that I will be taking a step back from this website over the next few months.

When I started Degrassi Online in 2008 (back then it was still Degrassi-Fans.com), there were very few Degrassi fansites or blogs. Twitter and Tumblr were not as prominent as they are today, and Degrassi was between the new and TNG generations. I started Degrassi-Fans.com as a way to support the show that I loved and believed in. I knew there was an audience who would watch the new generation (then Clare, KC, Alli, etc.), and I wanted to connect to that audience. When I was a teenager, Degrassi was my hope. It was the one thing I could look forward to every week. It is so great to see future generations having that as well.

It has been an amazing 4 years. I have made some incredible friendships in the Degrassi universe and I am so grateful for the experiences that we have all shared together. I have had the privilege of visiting the set of Degrassi, working with the amazingly dedicated people at Epitome, and leading various projects such as our most recent Degrassi Design Competition.

I know this probably sounds like a ‘goodbye’ message, but I don’t intend it to be. Degrassi Online will not be closing completely. You will still be able to find all of our old content, podcasts, etc. You may also hear from me from time to time, but note that I will not be able to update very often. There will be a lot of changes in my life next year as I have been given various opportunities that I am excited to take on. I don’t have the time and motivation that this website requires, but I will never stop watching Degrassi (how could I?).

Love to all Degrassians!
-Erin

Degrassi-Fans.com readers may have noticed that we’ve had a lot more posts this past week. All of the credit goes to our new contributor – Chrissy!

Chrissy is going to be helping me out with updates as my life becomes more hectic. I’m very happy to have her!

Degrassians may know Chrissy already. She runs the very popular Twitter account @DegrassiDaily, with close to 1,500 followers! She also worked on the old dtng.com, the Degrassi Realm Forum, and the Tales of Degrassi website. Chrissy has been watching Degrassi since 2002, and she is currently a college student focusing on Web Design and Film.

I think that Chrissy is going to be a great addition to the Degrassi-Fans.com family. Go follow her on Twitter if you haven’t already, and keep checking Degrassi-Fans.com for all the latest Degrassi news and media!

Special thanks to everybody else who applied to be a contributor. I was overwhelmed with applications. If I ever need more help, I will get in touch with some of you soon!!

xox Erin

Attention Degrassians!!

As you may have noticed lately, I’ve been finding it difficult to keep this website up to date the way that I would like it to be. Due to the fact that I’m going through many changes in my life right now, I haven’t had the time or motivation to update as frequently as I used to. However, I definitely do not want to close this website anytime soon (I love it way too much).

So this is a call to all of you. Any Degrassi fan who would like to get involved in maintaining this website — I need your help! I am primarily looking for somebody who (along with myself) can update Degrassi-Fans.com with the latest news and Degrassi information.

Here is a brief example of the type of posts I make here at Degrassi-Fans.com:
-News articles about Degrassi
-Video interviews with Degrassi cast members
-Press releases from Epitome, CTV/Much Music, and TeenNick
-Updates on previous Degrassi Junior High & TNG cast members and where they are now
-Promos and spoilers (e.g. episode summaries)
-Making & uploading screencaps (**This is a big – and sometimes annoying – job, especially with 4 episodes per week)
-Uploading other pictures (e.g. promotional pictures, cast appearances, etc.)
-Awards & nominations Degrassi receives
-Any other new information about Degrassi and its cast/crew

I’m looking for someone who meets these qualifications:
-Excellent written communication. I’m looking for somebody with proper grammar and spelling, and who can maintain a level of professionalism that I want for this website. This isn’t your 11 year old sister’s Twitter account. Degrassi-Fans.com is all about keeping fans up to date on the latest Degrassi news.
-Has the time and motivation to keep Degrassi-Fans.com up to date. This is the most difficult part for me. There are days when there isn’t any Degrassi news, but then there are also days when there is like 10 stories that need to go up as fast as possible. I’m looking for somebody who is able to keep up with the Degrassi fandom and update as often as possible.
-Experience using WordPress. This is not essential, because WordPress is easy to use and I’m sure most of you would be able to pick it up really fast. But if you have a WordPress blog or website already, it’s definitely an asset.
-Basic Photoshop experience. I don’t use Photoshop for much other than resizing and sharpening pictures for thumbnails. You don’t need to be an expert; just somebody who knows the basics.
-The most important part: A love and respect for the Degrassi brand. I’m looking for somebody who loves Degrassi, not only as a television show but as a concept or idea. This is not an Eli Appreciation Website, nor is it even a website solely for The Next Generation. It’s for everything Degrassi, from Kids of Degrassi St. to Now or Never. Degrassi is a quality show that has not only changed youth culture, but the lives of young people around the world. I want that kind of passion to shine through.

If you are interested in helping out, please send an email to DegrassiTalks@gmail.com and I will try and get back to you within the week.

Thank you!
-Erin

As you can see with your very own eyes, Degrassi-Fans.com has a brand new layout!!

I decided to change up our look as we begin the next batch of new episodes (which, by the way, are less than 1 month away!!!). This layout features the gorgeous pictures from a recent TeenNick photoshoot. It’s fun, it’s bright, and I hope you guys like it!

This layout was designed by Becky from Burningbright.us! As you can see, she is a great web designer. Make sure you visit her website for allll your website & graphic design needs.

Let me know what you think of the layout AND if you find any links that need to be updated. I think I got them all, but let me know if there’s something that still isn’t working.

Just wanted to let you guys know that we (finally) have a new layout for the photo gallery. I think it looks really great! Big thanks to DK-Designs.org for making it for us! And also thanks to Aislinn for always looking so adorable.

I am working on uploading screencaps for the seasons I haven’t done yet. Hopefully season 2 will be up by this weekend sometime! I’ll keep you guys posted.

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let you know that Degrassi-Fans.com will be on a brief hiatus for the next 5 days. I am going away this weekend, and apparently the hotel is sans internet. It’s tragic, I know. Anyway that means that promos, screencaps, news, etc. wont be updated until Monday night. I hope you all enjoy Umbrella Part 1 without me! Looks like it should be a good episode. Hopefully I’ll still be able to check in on twitter every once in a while.

–Erin

PS. We now know that after “Halo Part 2” (episode 1032) airs, it looks like we will be without Degrassi until February 2011. Somehow we’ll make it through…

A few updates to tell you guys about.

First of all, the forum finally has a proper layout. I hope you guys like it! I’m really happy to see how many people are visiting the forum already and hopefully this new look will encourage even more people to join. Click here to check out the forum!

Secondly, the forum is causing me a few problems however. It seems that when too many people are connected to the forum I get this error: “Too many connections [1040]” And for a short amount of time nobody is able to access the forum or even the main site. I have contacted my host about this problem and I am looking into it. But if you guys find that you can’t get to this site, the forum, or the gallery – try again in about a half hour or so. It usually fixes itself eventually. Thanks for being patient! Hopefully this will be sorted out soon.

Lately I’ve been hearing about some interest in a Degrassi-Fans.com forum for discussing all things Degrassi. Well now it’s finally here! You guys can check it out at http://forum.degrassi-fans.com. This forum is still in its early stages – a new layout & more content will appear in the coming weeks. But right now you guys can register and start using it if you’d like. Feel free to leave comments for any suggestions you may have, and post about whatever! More updates are coming soon.

As you can see Degrassi-Fans.com has a brand new layout for your viewing pleasure! It was made by the one and only Vindesign.org. Doesn’t it look great?? I thought it would be perfect to try something new for season 10. This one is a lot brighter and more upbeat! Let me know what you think.

In other site news, the Degrassi-Fans.com youtube account got suspended this morning. It was completely without warning – no email or anything. It’s very annoying especially since I’m very busy today getting ready for the premiere. And unlike ACES I’ve never been suspended before. Alas, our new youtube account can be found at www.youtube.com/degrassifanscom. So please subscribe & watch that account from now on – it’s where I’ll be posting all the new videos.

Also, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter tomorrow. I will be tweeting from the premiere screening at Much Music. The entire cast will be there, and hopefully I will get the chance to talk to some of them. So if you have anything specific you want me to ask send me an @reply!

Just a reminder that today is the deadline for fan blog applications. We’ve received a lot of great applications so far, it’s going to be really tough to make a decision! If you still want to apply, you can do so by the end of the day today. I will be making a decision tomorrow, and will email all those who applied.

Information about the Degrassi fan blogs and how to apply can be found right here!

Since I have lots of webspace still available, I decided to give you the opportunity to start your own Degrassi fan blog and have it connected to Degrassi-Fans.com. Bloggers will be expected to write about anything related to Degrassi (episode reviews, ideas for season 10, cast news, character opinions, etc.) If you’ve always wanted to blog about Degrassi this is your big chance!

Successful applicants will receive the following:
-Webspace to host your blog
-A yourblogtitlehere.degrassi-fans.com URL
-Complementary WordPress installation (your blog must use WordPress)
-Some assistance in creating a basic WordPress theme (if you require it)
-The opportunity to share your opinions on Degrassi and be a part of the Degrassi-Fans.com network!

If you’re interested, click here for more information on how to apply!

If you’re reading this you’ve probably figured out that Degrassi-Fans.com has a brand new layout!!! It was designed by VinDesign.org. I have to say that if you ever need a fansite layout, you should definitely check them out. So helpful, easy, and the result looks great, don’t you think? A big thank you!

In addition to a new look, Degrassi-Fans.com will be undergoing a number of other changes in the coming weeks as we head into the new year. Here are a few new features you can expect to see:
+More screencaps from previous Degrassi seasons
+Interviews with fans, crew, cast, etc. Basically anyone who makes our Degrassi fandom so great!
+Redesigned Twitter and Youtube pages, plus a brand new Facebook page!
+A Degrassi web directory (links to the cast on twitter, fansites, official sites, etc.)
+An opportunity for your Degrassi fan blog to be connected to Degrassi-Fans.com!
+Plus so much more!

I hope everybody loves the new and improved Degrassi-Fans.com! I do this because I love supporting Degrassi and bringing the fans together. In 2010, Degrassi will mark its 30th anniversary on Canadian TV! I think I can speak for all Degrassi fans when I say how proud I am of this amazing accomplishment.
Stay tuned for more updates and let me know what you think!

♥ Erin