Don’t read the comments

[Tarheel316]

That's the thing though - you eliminate comments you eliminate one extra click to comment and how many extra clicks by people checking to see if anyone reacted to their comment, multiplied by hundreds a day? That's a deep dive in clicks. Throw in that news sites are hoping to drive traffic on their website - it seems counterproductive. You engage a news consumer enough to leave a comment, it would seem you could at least make them look at an ad for 10 seconds. No comments, no ads.

But how do you contain the trolls?

 

[DanOregon]

If someone wants to buy multiple devices to establish multiple ISPs - you can't - but surely you limit their impact.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

A few stops back we used a simple shadow ban on the trolls. Great fun as they were still posting 30 times a day and thinking they'd be engaged.

But I always thought the most effective measure would be to set up a sort of zoo/playpen for the troublemakers and let them frolic together.

A prison within the forum. And their interactions could be observed by all regular members, only the regular unbanned members can't post.

 

[CD Boogie]

A few stops back we used a simple shadow ban on the trolls. Great fun as they were still posting 30 times a day and thinking they'd be engaged.

But I always thought the most effective measure would be to set up a sort of zoo/playpen for the troublemakers and let them frolic together.

A prison within the forum. And their interactions could be observed by all regular members, only the regular unbanned members can't post.[/QUOTE]
So Deadspin

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Not Fart. I thought Deadspin was excrement before it became fashionable to think so.

 

[Fredrick]

Let's have a discussion on comments sections after stories where readers can react ... If you are a high level suit please tell the truth about this era. Remember when ... the high level suits thought "interaction" with readers would revolutionize the business? Remember the giddiness the excitement when the internet sites included a comments section?? Editors were saying how special it would be and help increase subscriptions.
Most veteran journalists expressed immediate anger/skepticism because the commentors were vulgar and sophomoric. Suits were aghast at the complainers saying "Maybe you deserve this scorn. Listen to your readers! Engage them!"
The common reporter just knew the ANONYMOUS comments section would never work and was a cesspool. Newspapers began to assign a person to remove the libelous comments.
Finally ... newspapers went to getting rid of anonymous comments and letting individuals comment with their real names. That cured the problem. Nobody bothered to comment any more if they could not use a fictitious name.
Fredrick's point here? The suits who were dumb enough to think comments sections would work and terrorized the low paid reporters who expressed pessimism from the start (you are too old to accept change; get back to your closet) should all be ashamed of themselves to think the anonymous comments would be important.

 

[Vombatus]

Gave us more evidence of idiocracy though. Scary.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Fredrick-
These were the same people who told us Little League would sell newspapers.

 

[Readallover]

Star Ledger's web site, nj.com, is shutting down comments this Thursday. Comments also will be deleted from all archived articles available on the web site. Is a firewall next after 3 free articles per month? I would not be surprised.

 

[Fredrick]

Fredrick-
These were the same people who told us Little League would sell newspapers.

Very true. I always "marvel" at the fact suits go hide when proven wrong. Nobody will admit to the fact most of them agree with anything brought to them from the top. Even if they know they are wrong. I mean suits were so happy with the comments section. They even were a bit slow to monitoring/changing libelous comments. I'd love to hear some stories about people who finally were told to monitor the comments and delete them. The suits were even afraid to do that. They truly believed engaging with anonymous commentors would work and they'd also suspend reporters who rebelled or fought back against insults by anonymous (lol) commentors. Example No. 5000 of why newspapers are near dinosaur status.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I was going to ask if I could text shirtty comments to their writers and then I read the link. This is real life?

We've also just launched a new Subtext account, one that is free, in which you can message me directly. I'll send a couple of texts a day to your phone to bring you inside our newsroom, to let you know what we are talking about, what questions we seek to answer. Consider it a preview of stories that will soon appear on our platforms. And the best part is that you can text me anytime, to let me know what's on your mind. I'll read every text I receive and respond to many.

Signing up is easy. Send a text to 216-868-4802.

 

[Fredrick]

I was going to ask if I could text shirtty comments to their writers and then I read the link. This is real life?

We've also just launched a new Subtext account, one that is free, in which you can message me directly. I'll send a couple of texts a day to your phone to bring you inside our newsroom, to let you know what we are talking about, what questions we seek to answer. Consider it a preview of stories that will soon appear on our platforms. And the best part is that you can text me anytime, to let me know what's on your mind. I'll read every text I receive and respond to many.

Signing up is easy. Send a text to 216-868-4802.

Yes, unfortunately the suits won't quite give up on "engaging" with the readers. At some point all the busy work is going to drive any writer/reporter out of the business and let the 20 year olds have their way on the huge beats (NFL/NBA/MLB) all over the country. Heck the people receiving the texts don't need to know the experts are basically all recent college grads with no credibility built up.