I’ve been wondering whether newspapers, magazines and other media do any data analytics of the online comments they receive. If so, I think subscribers would be interested in the findings. I also wonder what percentage of your readers is even aware of the online side of things.
My understanding is the Herald has roughly 45,000 subscribers. I wonder if, when the opportunity to comment was first introduced, more people participated then than do now. In other words, has participation measurably changed? If so, how?
As anyone who does read the online comments in The Herald (at least those related to political issues) knows, they are currently completely dominated by about a half-dozen rabid followers of the current president. They write constantly and voluminously (and are especially energized when reacting to one of your regularly-featured columnists). The “other side” has regular participants as well who try valiantly to keep the train on the track. The “other side” also has a few stand-out contributors who weigh in only once in a great while because they’re obviously intelligent and fully aware it’s mostly a waste of time; they know very well actual rational conversations with the MAGA crowd are not going to happen and say as much.
What I’m curious about it how representative of the community is the comments section? Let’s say there are ten really over-the-top Trump devotees out of 45,000 subscribers. Does this in any way reflect the larger community? Are these ten (or fewer) people speaking for a huge portion of the community — or a teeny, tiny fringe?
I would also like to understand what the original intent was for how the opportunity to comment would work? It seems to me to have become a handy-dandy, rent-free, 24/7 pulpit used mostly by a scant handful of ideologues, most of whom also are of a fundamentalist, end-times, inerrant-Word and, probably, young-Earth persuasion. Wow, lucky for them!
A lot of other subscribers might like to have the chance to “join the conversation” once in a while but this venue is not very conducive for that. (Not picking on The Herald —- the Seattle Times is the same, actually it’s worse. Maybe all papers are in this boat?)
If you’ve done any analysis of the “comments section” (how it’s used, ranking of what subjects generate the most/least comments, etc.), I think your findings and conclusions would interest many of your readers. Perhaps a really good “subscriber survey” would be of interest, too.
Candace Plog
Edmonds
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