Well I believe there was a lot of talk about it due to the DDF adventure. I could be wrong though.
Regardless, do you recommend going out there for the northern lights or are there better places? Additionally, is there a thread or website discussing Svalbard?
AFAIK there is a grand total of 6 DDF'ers who've been to Svalbard - the five of us on the adventure, and High End Hobo who went during the summer.
If your goal is the NL, then Svalbard is definitely not the number one place to be. It's incredibly expensive, the tourism infrastructure is minuscule, you need to hire an armed guide if you want to see it away from Longyearbyen's light pollution, and most importantly, it's so far north that's it's actually
above the auroral oval.
Go to Iceland instead - it's far cheaper, there are a million options for tourist, and the chances of a spectacular auroral display is far greater. IF you haven't booked your tickets yet, consider taking advantage of Icelandair's free stopover option, it could be very attractively priced sometimes.
For the record, all this is not to detract from Svalbard; it remains the most fascinating and unique place I've visited, and I can't wait to go back (I will likely be doing a workshop there next March). But from a purely auroral standpoint, there are far better options.