I wrote years ago that opening up comment sections after online stories invited in the worst aspects of talk-radio, and I still feel that way.
This week the NeimanLab website includes an edited transcript of a discussion by some media heavy-hitters about how their outlet handles the "comments" section:
"Determining the value comment sections bring to a news organization ranked as a top concern, especially because comments require heavy investment in both technology and moderation resources. Our research suggests that comments benefit both newsrooms and site users — and that turning the comments off can make the experience worse for loyal commenters and reduce the time users spend on the site."I know this is oldster thinking, but it is the anonymous aspect of comments that makes them so vicious and, to me anyway, unappealing.
What was wrong with the old "letter to the editor" approach, when readers were invited to comment, but were required to sign their real names?
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