Mo’Kelly has long argued that comment sections on news sites have almost ruined the reporting of news. I’ve reasoned that allowing comments to occupy the same editorial space as the actual article defeats the purpose of having quality writers. Writers must pass through an editorial process, and commenters at best pass through a lukewarm moderator. So people with no real training can be featured on high traffic sites and be seen by millions.
That is the payoff for the commenter. For websites it means increased traffic which leads to advertising revenue.
But ultimately it serves as a breeding ground for ignorance of all types. I actually appreciate traditional news sites which do not allow comments.
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From CNN:
Austin, Texas (CNN) — In the early days of the Internet, there was hope that the unprecedented tool for global communication would lead to thoughtful sharing and discussion on its most popular sites.
A decade and a half later, the very idea is laughable, says Gawker Media founder Nick Denton.
“It didn’t happen,” said Denton, whose properties include the blogs Gawker, Jezebel, Gizmodo, io9 and Lifehacker, among others. “It’s a promise that has so not happened that people don’t even have that ambition any more.
“The idea of capturing the intelligence of the readership — that’s a joke.”
Denton was speaking at South by Southwest Interactive, the annual festival here devoted to Web and digital culture.
He said commenting on his own sites (which he said he’s seen make reporters cry) has gotten so bad that he doesn’t engage.
“I don’t like going into the comments … for every two comments that are interesting — even if they’re critical you want to engage with them — there will be eight that are off topic or just toxic,” he said.
Full story HERE.
The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit https://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Contact him at [email protected].
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