The Olympian posted a news report yesterday that Olympic Outfitters will be closing. This has gotten the 101 Fighting Keyboard Brigade unusually excited. A handful of comments are under review as I write this, but so far the Simple Human Decency Award goes to gottacomment, who stated: “Joe Hyer’s dream…up in smoke…ha ha.”
A special mention goes to glenn for imploring the moderator to be “fair and balanced” by restoring comments flagged for review by the “little socialist troop” that is ”covering the children’s ears so they won’t hear the realities of life.”
Given the length of time that some comments have been flagged, I gather that The Olympian’s moderation team is short-staffed this weekend. Understandable in a way, but wouldn’t one expect higher readership over the holiday weekend? And thus the need for stepped-up moderation?
Since we’re talking about glenn, note that he has posted an additional 1,577 comments since we last discussed his literary prowess on Oct. 20. That’s an average of 22 comments per day.
Why does it make sense that letter writers should be restricted to one per month when commentators like glenn can turn the threads into his own private blog? I get that the website generates only 6 percent of The Olympian’s ”unduplicated readership,” but it still has meaningful agenda-setting power vis a vis the print edition.
If there is a cap on letter submissions it is only fair to have one for comments as well. How about starting off with a cap of 300 comments per month?
Rob Richards
December 31, 2011
This is a conversation as old as the internet (at least). The question is, for me, “What would Glenn (or whoever) do without that outlet?” Wouldn’t they just find a different way to emote their positions? Maybe the path of least resistance provided by anonymous comment boards give people an easy way out – like maybe without it, they wouldn’t be distracted by the spectacle and would actually do something with that time.
The last time I left a comment on The Olympian was probably 6 or 7 years ago, the reason I stopped was because there was no focus. The format didn’t (doesn’t) support actual discourse, but just people throwing comments up. I quit Olyblog for similar reasons. The difference at Olyblog was that instead of zero moderation, there was heavy handed moderation that was ultimately biased. Which is fine – if you moderate a site, do what you will, but be honest about it – don’t pretend you’re some kind of pillar of fairness while at the same time censoring those you disagree with. Rant over.
I’m of the mind that there isn’t a lot of point in talking about the Olympian comments, or any other comment board. Now, if the actual person, or team, that does the moderation there, would join us and shed some light on the process and the vision behind their moderation strategy, that could make the conversation more fruitful.
I doubt that’s gonna happen, so, I’m going to continue to ignore those places.
olympiaviews
December 31, 2011
Rob, on a personal level it makes sense to steer clear of comment threads. It’s usually not worth the time and frustration.
On an institutional level I think it is important for publications to either figure out how to make comment sections more functional or declare them a failed innovation. Effective discourse is crucial to the functioning of democracy, e.g., we’ve got to learn how to better talk across differences.
I’ve continued to harp on The Olympian’s comment policies because I think a monopoly daily has a special responsibility to cultivate diverse and thoughtful discourse.
My hope is that we can model in our own blogs what we’d like to see elsewhere.
Laurian
January 1, 2012
For the record Mr. Richards had an active hand in the ‘heavy handed moderation’ at Olyblog during his stint as a docent (aka Moderator) there.
As for glenn it seems he is begging to get banned. 7 hours into the New Year these pearls drop from his keyboard:
“The new “agenda” includes software that automatically deletes any comments by adults and conservatives thus allowing the socialists free rein to propagandize the readership. Also, none of the little socialist soldiers will get carpal tunnel syndrome from repeatedly pushing the “report abuse” button. The Olympian cares!”
The topic he allegedly is addressing? An Editorial outlining the Ed Board’s Community Agenda. Unlocking the mystery of why glenn is still still allowed to troll in the cesspool could explain so much.
burdockroot
January 2, 2012
Whether you love him or loath him, the Olympian will not silence the little ball of hate that is “Glenn”. He brings online readership in the form of his cult following of conservatives and the liberals that go there to point out that he is a knuckle dragger (although the number of opposing comments seems to have dwindled – I suspect we still read his rants to confirm our belief that the far right wing are, by in large, idiots.) Then there is the rallying effect of reading his comments that serves to fire us up to be more involved politically lest one day we wake up to find an army of zombie Glenn’s roaming the streets and destroying the last remnants of civilization.
Glenn is the reality TV, Nancy Grace, Fox News and horrific car crash of Olympian Online… we don’t want to look but somehow we keep sneaking a peak. God help us and have mercy on our souls for giving him what little status he has.