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* Robert Feder…
It’s been more than five years since the Sun-Times disabled its online reader comments, claiming to be developing a new system that would be introduced “in the weeks to come.” Now that may be happening at last.
“I think we’re getting to the point where hopefully soon we can restore comments in sort of a targeted way on the right stories,” editor-in-chief Chris Fusco said on Ben Joravsky’s podcast Saturday. “Comments are a tool that, if we use them wisely, I think they can be back on a targeted basis and help us build more engagement.”
* The Question: Your comment section advice for Chris Fusco?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:13 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Leave dead alone.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:17 pm
Monitor the IP address to ensure the comments aren’t coming from China, Russia, or the IPI.
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:18 pm
Advice: Don’t.
Comment by IL4Life Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:18 pm
Make your guidelines clear, require users to link to Facebook so you get fewer anonymous posts, and monitor.
For five years Sun-Times has been paying for and creating content other people have used to create communities on other platforms. I still think it was dumb to shut them off this long.
Comment by Kyle Hillman Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:19 pm
They’d be better off keeping the comments disabled…
Comment by IlliniSpartan Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:22 pm
Don’t
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:23 pm
What they said. Don’t. Nothing good can come of it.
Comment by Sonny Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:25 pm
Don’t do it. You’ll have to dedicate resources to monitor people not being constant jerks; take that job and hire another reporter instead.
Comment by lakeside Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:27 pm
Not a good move with national elections coming soon.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:29 pm
Ugh. I think online comments sections to posted articles have led to the extreme polarization that we have today. If the comments are not brought forth by “bots” to foster this division, they are brought forth by trolls looking to pick fights.
Unlike CapFaxBlog, there is not likely to be stringent scrubbing by the editors at the CS-T.
I sincerely hope Mr. Fusco abandons this idea.
Comment by Colin O'Scopy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:34 pm
Charge a “subscription fee” for the ability to post comments.
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:34 pm
Hire Rich to train the monitors.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:35 pm
link to Facebook. at least people have to be public that way.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:44 pm
Follow the Neil Steinberg blog monitoring system where you delete every comment that isn’t a fawning, sycophantic expression of agreement with the contents of the article.
Comment by Gavin Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:48 pm
Apparently anyone who is not a liberal Democrat is either a bot, a troll or trying to pick a fight.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:56 pm
The news reports are there to inform the public. I don’t see the point of “the public informing the news.” Replace the page with a tipline contact for people with serious information to contribute. I’m sure this already exists, but make it BIG.
Comment by NoGifts Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:57 pm
Advice from a large Facebook group that my son admin’s.
Be crystal clear on your rules and don’t be afraid to use a big hammer. Only allow 2 chances maximum.
May consider a private warning for a first minor offense but a deliberate major one gets immediate lifetime ban or suspension.
Examples … Ads are banned with one exception, results in immediate ban. Foul language, depending on the degree, may just get deleted and a warning the first time. Current politics are banned there and immediately deleted, second violation is lifetime ban.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:59 pm
Don’t. Why? Just read a weeks worth of the comments from the SJ-R to turn your thinking around.
Comment by Sayitaintso Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:01 pm
If you build a large community, say 20,000 or so, and strict about the rules, the members will pretty much self-police and report the violators to the admins …
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:02 pm
== Just read a weeks worth of the comments from the SJ-R to turn your thinking around. ==
The SJR does a poor job of moderating the comments.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:03 pm
“Your comment section advice to Chris Fusco?”
A newspaper comment section?
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
You must be cautious.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:04 pm
I would rather they spend the money its going to take to hire people to monitor the site and hire more reporters.
Comment by Been There Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:11 pm
The Sun-Times is still around?
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:14 pm
If you’re going to monitor it and keep the debate within some boundaries of respectfulness, by all means. Otherwise ditto to those saying “don’t even try.”
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:20 pm
No good will come of this.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:25 pm
==Apparently anyone who is not a liberal Democrat is either a bot, a troll or trying to pick a fight.==
Still a victim I see
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:27 pm
My advice would be don’t do it. Comment boards that aren’t adequate policed are filled with nothing but mouth breathers who don’t deserve a space to spew their thoughts.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:29 pm
LP is right for once.
Comment by DeseDemDose Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:29 pm
“Apparently anyone who is not a liberal Democrat is either a bot, a troll or trying to pick a fight.” Any news that embarrasses a conservative Republican is fake news.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:36 pm
Nothing good can come of restoring the comment section without stringent monitoring. Fusco should be asking himself why it took so long to create a comment section that doesn’t become a dumping ground for trolls, bots, and anonymous malcontents looking to start ridiculous fights. Unless the S-T has solid evidence that restoring its comment section will increase readership, it should jettison this idea and hire more reporters.
Comment by Bourbon Street Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:36 pm
47th Ward is probably correct.
On ==Monitor the IP address to ensure the comments aren’t coming from China, Russia, or the IPI.==
I would recommend having the technology block anyone from posting comments from an IP address outside the Sun-Times’ area, however they define it.
Comment by 62656 Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:43 pm
Everything in moderation.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:45 pm
The perception of “Fake news” is not just limited to Republicans Skeptic
https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trust-in-media-down.php
https://www.cjr.org/special_report/how-does-journalism-happen-poll.php
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 1:52 pm
==Apparently anyone who is not a liberal Democrat is either a bot, a troll or trying to pick a fight.==
Ever hear of Steve Schnorf?
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 2:05 pm
==Apparently anyone who is not a liberal Democrat is either a bot, a troll or trying to pick a fight.==
Lucky Pierre is correct. It is clearly the responsibility of every newspaper in America to allow posts calling Barack Obama the anti-Christ, compare Michelle Obama to a monkey and call for the death and/or imprisonment of Hillary Clinton. Newspapers that don’t allow conservatives to post statements such as these are obviously run by a bunch of liberal Democrats. Wake up, sheeple
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 2:58 pm
Only allow subscribers to comment
Comment by R A T Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 3:22 pm
R A T has it right
Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 3:24 pm
The comments aren’t necessary. The Chicago Sun-Times puts out a great product. Their investigative reporting is top notch.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 4:21 pm
To be honest, I like the C S-T. Quality writing and investigative reporting. That said, I would rather Mr. Fusco invest in good editors to improve accuracy and proper grammar than investing in some interns to “monitor” comments. If you really want to know what’s in your neighbor’s heart, read any comments from an article linked from the Drudge Report.
Comment by Colin O'Scopy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 4:46 pm
Either shift or get off the pot.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 5:07 pm
Moderate it, or don’t do it.
Find out how the New York Times does it, and copy that. (The difference between the NYT comments sections and the Washington Post’s are like night and day.)
Do NOT require linking to a Facebook account. Many very couth people, with ideas of value, have nothing to do with Facebook.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 5:23 pm
Offer Rich a job as moderator, and it might work.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Sep 4, 19 @ 7:37 am