We have all seen it. A passion evoking story gets posted about breakfast, and someone who thinks that lunch is far superior fires back in the comments section. A staunch defender of the omelet then takes it into his own hands to defend his precious morning meal. Things start out civil, but then escalate to name calling, thought shaming and downright meanness. The journalist who posted the original story then has a few choices, but which is best? Should the commentator be deleted? Publicly reprimanded?... or should the shenanigans be allowed to continue for the sake of entertainment?
PBS Mediashift recently spotlighted The Engaging News Project's new comments report. The Project aims at increasing consumer interaction with news, mostly through social media or online resources. Uncivil comments have caused some outlets, such as Reuters, to delete their comment section completely. However, others, such as the NY Times, have embraced the conflict that can sometimes occur in these open forums. After researching different outlets and the type of comments each received, the researchers found that simple proactive action can significantly decrease public discourse and uncivility.
An active journalist was the most efficient deterrent. The study found that uncivil comments decreased by 15 percent when the journalist was actively responding to their own posts alongside commenters. This may be because the commenter feels a connection to the reporter if they are responded with instead of ignored.
Asking a question that is not “yes or no” can garner much more positive results. If the story is somewhat controversial, try not to ask questions like, "Do you think this a a stupid idea?" Instead, encourage discussion amongst your audience. Phrases such as "explain and discuss" can make commenters feel more like active participants that passive recipients of news.
The layout of the comment section, and taking away anonymous postings made a positive impact. Some news outlets are using a more modern approach and linking the user's FB and Twitter accounts to their postings. This makes the user more accountable for what they are saying because it is tied directly to their reputation. Also, categorizing comments into questions, positive and negative responses can lead to healthier discussion and debate.
There are some majorly beneficial takeaways from this research that can help journalists on their personal websites and social media platforms. If you want a productive and civil discussion, do not wait for the audience to lead the discussion. Make an impact and lead the consumers in a thought provoking and engaging conversation. They will connect with you more, interact more civilly and spend more time on your page. Also, actively listening and responding to comments is a great way to connect and build an audience. By showing them that you care about what they’re saying, you are showing them respect and they are likely to do the same! This can help build a loyal network of news consumers that not only rely on your articles, but also their fellow audience member's input.
