Leo Laporte’s long-running podcast network TWiT is about to make some big changes to how it handles live broadcasts. Starting next week, TWiT will no longer host a chatroom for live viewers on its website. The network will also be changing its live video feed from an “always on” format, which often showed a lot of the behind-the-scenes action at TWiT’s Petaluma, CA studios to something that looks more like broadcast television. The feed will only go live to air “pre-produced shows.”

Leo gave a somewhat somber monologue as he talked about the reasons why TWiT is making these changes:

…unfortunately, the trolls have gotten so out of control and what you don’t see is the behind-the-scenes battle the mods fight, pretty much constantly.

And:

“It’s sad to me because I feel like what we do behind the scenes, the live interaction, is so important… But not to the point it becomes a problem for my family, our employees or our hosts.”

Laporte has always been outspoken about the problem with “trolls” in his chatroom. He’s also been critical of social media sites like Twitter, as he feels they don’t do enough to curb user harassment.

Leo said that from now on, the network has asked its hosts to stop monitoring the live chatroom and that TWiT may look into creating some kind of invite-only chat in the future. He also encouraged users who want to continue chatting during  TWiT shows to create an alternative chatroom elsewhere.