Don’t be afraid to let your staff leave comments
April 2, 2009 in Newsrooms
There was a time when I’d get upset at reporters and columnists who responded to comments on our news site. My rationale: It was unprofessional and nonobjective. But that was before I understood that the Web is a two-way conversation. #
If done appropriately, reporters and columnists can use comments as a means of building credibility instead of diminishing it. #
In 2007 I wrote to Poynter’s ethics guru Bob Steele to get advice about this very topic and he said via e-mail: #
Most news organizations would not publish letters or online comments written by staff. An alternative is for a staffer to write a guest column but the editor has final judgment on whether it gets published. Your staff member has Freedom of Speech rights but that does NOT guarantee him access to your paper nor your website. #But even in two short years, those rules have changed substantially. #
The dynamic of the Web (which has been emphasized in journalism through blogs and Twitter) allows readers to communicate directly with writers. #
The discussion that can unfold between readers and reporters adds value to your articles, whether it results in fact-checking (commenters as “watchdogs”), a new angle, or the building of community. And really, why shouldn’t your reporters be able to respond? #
Here are a few general guidelines about letting news staff comment on articles: #
- If a commenter presents a question about a fact or issue within the article, the reporter should clarify or answer the question when possible, even if it requires additional reporting
- Reporters should not argue personal opinions in comments of a news article they wrote
- Columnists or op/ed writers should, however, have the freedom to editorialize in comments and respond to counterarguments, as long as it doesn’t turn into personal attacks
- For full disclosure, all members of your staff who respond in comments should clearly identify themselves as members of your news organization
- All comments from your news staff should be professional and accurate; it’s not a medium for reporters to interject with speculation or rumor
- Don’t let “professional” throw you off though– comments can still be personal and casual. Let your reporters be the real people that they are. Your readers will trust them more
Very good post. It's hard to cross that barrier and break through from the ideal of the aloof journalist to the new idea of an interactive journalist, but it is necessary. Posting responses back to your readers is one of the best ways not only to build a conversation but a community of readers who come back, not just for the content, but for the interaction.
[...] really interesting blog post looking at whether reporters should be allowed to comment on their own articles in response to readers, and if so, how. This is most definitely a subject [...]
The big problem, though, will be in making sure reporters remain reporters even when commenting online. The minute they begin letting their personal opinions show through in their commment postings, they lose their credibility. I know I'm old-fashioned, but when I was in journalism school, maintaining objectivity was one of the primary objectives.@pmearly on twitter
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