Discussion: What is the value of reader comments?

The discussion about the value and role of reader comments on news and blogs can be as divided as the commenters themselves.

Join a discussion in the comments below: Where do you stand?

Are reader comments a useful tool for building engagement, soliciting feedback and generating traffic and revenue? Or are they a wasteland of anonymous slander dominated by trolls? What can a site owner/moderator do to help or hurt the quality?

Please leave your own views and examples in the comments below. (Click the little orange RSS button above the comments to subscribe, so you can follow the discussion).

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Jeff Sonderman This entry was posted in Journalism. Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://intensedebate.com/people/jeffsonderman jeffsonderman

    Leave your thoughts here…

  • John

    A news site without comments is an affront to readers in my opinion. Curious to hear what everyone else thinks.

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