Election Season is upon us again with perhaps a GOP primary on tap for September. I know what you are thinking: “I can’t wait to read the Patch coverage and especially all the fun comments after each article, I am going to learn so much.”
Well we know that isn’t exactly true. A great example is the red meat thrown into the ring today with new Editor Dave Moran asking a dissatisfying: “Would a Republican Primary Be Worth the Money?” Regular Patch readers know this sort of article will be a prime target for yet another circus-like, divisive comment section.
In a few days you can bet over 20 comments will be posted “answering” that ridiculous question, with post after post slashing and burning, slicing and dicing, spewing vitriol and ultimately, only dividing neighbors.
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What is less known, and hardly talked about, is of 20 posts, there are probably no more than three writers.
These anonymous cyber bullies pop up daily, feverishly pounding out vitriol against one another using assorted “nom de guerre”. Referring to them as “writers” is a very liberal interpretation: most are rambling, difficult to read, barely coherent and rife with both spelling and grammatical errors.
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How can this be prevented?
The New Haven Independent, an online news source edited by Paul Bass, faced similar issues several years ago. The comment section veered out of control during the run up to a contested municipal election forcing Bass to take action.
He shut down comments for a period of time to let things cool off. When the New Haven Independent went live with more stringent terms of use for their comment section, Bass followed through, tenaciously monitoring online posts, deleting many, and even banning writers that went over the line.
His readers got the message, with improved and civil online discourse, readership went up, the conversations about important issues improved, and a better-educated reader was the result. For their efforts, the New Haven Independent and Paul Bass have been nationally recognized, securing an important niche in a terribly competitive media marketplace.
It’s too bad we don’t have that in South Windsor. Last week, prior to his departure, I contacted the previous editor Ted Glanzer, imploring him to more closely monitor the sort of scorched earth comments that have become so insidious on the South Windsor Patch.
I linked a story about the New Haven Independent’s success in improving civil discourse with the hope the Patch could model a more courteous example. His facile response, regarding the New Haven Independent’s terms of use, “does not jibe with Patch's policy on the matter.”
That kind of response must be disappointing for both sides of the political fence.
Especially if you are a target of repeated attacks by those who create pseudonyms to engage in harangues and personal attacks in comment sections, only resulting in a dumbed down electorate.
Entrenched, out of touch politicians from both sides of the aisle depend on a lack of civic engagement and knowledge. Our only defense is news sources dedicated to inform, rather than divide.
Perhaps a better question the South Windsor Patch should ask: “Is Informing Our Readers Worth The Money”?
