Newspaper online commenting forums are going....going....

[Principled Man]

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel announced this morning that it is completely shutting down all commenting forums tomorrow. 

Owned by Gannett Co., the MJS was one of the few papers to allow the forums, but now, they have also surrendered.

 

This isn't a big surprise, as the newspaper had stopped all forums on news stories years ago.  A plethora of horrible commenters made it happen.   

Only sports-related and other articles had commenting forums.  Those will also be gone tomorrow.

 

Rather than install better software for the forums, rather than take a proactive approach to dealing with trolls and other dysfunctional readers, newspapers are just punting.  It's costing them subscribers.

 

Once again, we see the nasty side of the internet coin.  Nasty people being allowed to be nasty to others and get away with it.   

[BastillePark]

24 minutes ago, Principled Man said:

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel announced this morning that it is completely shutting down all commenting forums tomorrow. 

Owned by Gannett Co., the MJS was one of the few papers to allow the forums, but now, they have also surrendered.

 

This isn't a big surprise, as the newspaper had stopped all forums on news stories years ago.  A plethora of horrible commenters made it happen.   

Only sports-related and other articles had commenting forums.  Those will also be gone tomorrow.

 

Rather than install better software for the forums, rather than take a proactive approach to dealing with trolls and other dysfunctional readers, newspapers are just punting.  It's costing them subscribers.

 

Once again, we see the nasty side of the internet coin.  Nasty people being allowed to be nasty to others and get away with it.   

There are a lot of keyboard warriors out there, and a few here. The most mundane story about the most boring subject will eventually turn into Biden this or Trump that. It's pretty sad that many people are so engrossed in things they have no control over or get outraged about something that is so minor.

[Principled Man]

37 minutes ago, BastillePark said:

It's pretty sad that many people are so engrossed in things they have no control over or get outraged about something that is so minor.

 

It's sadder that just as many people intentionally ruin commenting forums, as they are miserable people, and they seek to make others miserable.  

[Nova Carmina]

1 hour ago, Principled Man said:

  Nasty people being allowed to be nasty to others and get away with it.   

 

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

[grep]

The local paper where I used to live turned off comments back in 2016, after about 8 years of having them.

Yes, there were trolls. But some of those comments were the best reasons to visit the site.

Not only were the trolls just being trolls - we also pointed out on many many many occasions the faulty reporting, whitewashing, and clear omission of facts and important stories. I think that's why the commenting was really shut down - we had raised very good awareness on site, that the reporting was shit and that what was being produced was a shadow of what existed in years before. 

[blueschica]

Our local paper ( a Lee paper, comes out 3 times a week) stopped commenting a while ago- during covid, I think?  We get the choice of being able to click on a sad, happy or angry emoji.      Not exactly what people think of when they want to see neighbors information on a zoning change, for instance.