If you scroll down in the online version of Union-Tribune stories to click on reader comments, you'd better not scroll alone. Web neophytes could be in for a big surprise now that the newspaper's Web site, SignOnSandiego.com, allows comments – unedited and anonymous – after news stories.
This takes us into a brave new world that I find both terrifying and exhilarating. I think it's loony to allow readers to post these comments anonymously. Considering readers' interest in interactivity, I also think we'd be crazy not to give this a whirl.
Editor Karin Winner said of the new vehicle for comments: “We've been inviting reader participation in our pages for a long time, but the timing is such that we've printed their e-mailed comments the next day or later. This is more immediate and opens up all kinds of opportunities for us to get immediate feedback from our readers on any given topic.
“I think it's a great way for us to see what they think about a given issue. Often they may point out interesting new angles to a story that we hadn't thought of, offer additional information that we may not have known about, give us helpful leads to other stories, news sources for us to follow up with, etc.
“I'm sure they won't hesitate to tell us when they disagree, but that's healthy. There are bound to be those who abuse the privilege, but overall, I think it's a positive thing.”
Displaying comments without editorial review is foreign to the print world, said Tom Mallory, breaking news team editor. Chris Jennewein, vice president of Internet operations for the Union-Tribune Publishing Co., called it “counterintuitive,” adding, “but in this case our role is in creating the forum and making sure the discussion does not get out of hand.”
Newspaper sites that allow comments are taking various tacks. The New York Times has staff members review and sometimes edit all comments before they're posted. The Washington Post has two people scan comments after they're displayed.
SignOn relies on software to block those offensive words that can't be uttered on the air waves, plus spot-checking by staff members and self-policing by the site's visitors.
If anything is deemed unsuitable, the whole posting is removed. The Web site is protected against lawsuits over comments from a third party unless the site sponsor edits them.
During the launch phase, Anne Maclachlan, online production content assistant at SignOn, is spending several hours a day reviewing complaints and checking the posted comments.
Washington Post screeners deal with so many comments – about 4,600 a day – that readers have complained it takes too long to remove those flagged as offensive.
SignOn's Maclachlan said she zaps not only comments with raw language but also those that incite violence and others thinly disguised as ads. Out of about 200 comments received daily, about 10 bite the dust.
Gordon Siu, a Bonita Vista High grad studying political science at Yale, sent a sampling of eye-popping comments with this question: “While people should be free to hold any opinion they would like, clearly the U-T would never print letters that make blanket accusations about a race of people, make ad hominem attacks on others, threaten to use violence against a certain segment of the population, or use sophomoric repetitions of “!!!!!” and “?????.” Has the Internet essentially changed what newspapers do, and what qualifies as a letter to the editor?”
I guess so, at least online.
Maclachlan said she's been impressed by the caliber of the online comments on stories, especially compared with those for the photo gallery. I guess everything is relative.
Anonymity does seem to invite rude and crude remarks. I recognize that whistle-blowers need cover to contribute insider information without risk and understand Jennewein's statement that “Anonymity encourages bystanders to get involved.”
But should newspapers let everyone lash out without standing behind what they say? To post comments on SignOn, people must register by supplying a valid e-mail address, but most use screen names.
Weighing the benefits and risks in all this, Mallory said, “If we can find a way to capture the wisdom and the knowledge without getting dragged down by the invective and the rancor, I think it's worth doing.”
I like the way the comments promote conversations among people who might never connect otherwise. This raw expression of ideas can be captivating and edifying. I do hope it attracts more eyes and advertisers to the Web site.
But be forewarned as you enter this fun house of unedited commentary. If it doesn't leave your head spinning and your mind reeling, you probably have your eyes closed.
Goodhue's column commenting on the media appears Mondays. It is the policy of The San Diego Union-Tribune to correct all errors. To discuss accuracy or fairness in the news, please write to Carol Goodhue, Readers Representative, Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191, or telephone (619)293-1525. Send e-mail to: readers.rep@uniontrib.com.
