MMMM # 191 -- A "Reader Comment" Solution?

     I was reading a story in The Miami Herald when I noticed a button at the bottom of the story that was a breath of fresh air:

     Brilliant.
     I wondered if other papers offering the same function...an easy way for readers to eliminate the presence of the worse of Talk Radio from the newspaper reading experience?

     I checked The Montgomery Advertiser*. Even better....their default position now is not to show any comments unless you click on a "read comments" button: 

     Not so with The Birmingham News...no choice other than, of course, not scrolling down, or not reading their stories.
     It appears The Huntsville Times and The Press Register (Mobile) require readers to register before they can comment...and the comments are not visible unless you are registered, which is fine with me!
     All three of those Alabama papers share the same online home:  al.com. Not sure if there is any kind of shared policy or if each paper has its own.

     I'm written about the reader comment issue before, how the papers are allowing a forum on their own real estate for the worst of people! I say let 'em stay on Talk Radio.

[* In today's paper, The Advertiser is promoting format changes to it's print paper starting Wednesday. No details, but it will be interesting to watch. I know from experience that too many format and schedule changes can chase away "customers". Just Sayin'.]

[PLUS: Pew reports newspapers are picking up only $1 in digital advertising for each $7 they lose in print advertising....a sure formula for business failure. The search for a business model that will make a profit remains elusive for m ost papers.]

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this website.]