"A disproportionate amount of our editors' time is spent serving a small group of readers. We now offer other ways for readers to engage with our newsroom. Would our readers revolt? Or would they understand our reasoning: that the quality of comments has degraded over the years, that gripes and trolling now proliferate, that too much of our time is spent serving too few? In 2022, we crunched the numbers and found nearly 80% of all comments were made by just 368 people roughly 0.15% of our total audience."
"The response this week has been gratifying. We've gotten feedback from 120 readers so far on social media, in the comments (we left them open) and via email. And the vast majority of you have been supportive, including 23 of the 24 people who sent us a private message through the feedback form that will remain at the foot of every story."
Berkeleyside retired comment sections on most stories after concluding comments degraded in quality and demanded disproportionate editorial time. Analysis showed nearly 80% of comments came from 368 people, about 0.15% of the audience. The decision followed years of deliberation and three additional years after initial analysis. Alternative engagement methods include social media, email, and a feedback form appended to stories. Early feedback totaled 120 responses with the majority supportive, including 23 of 24 private messages via the feedback form. Selected reader feedback will be featured in the Saturday newsletter; reactions ranged from relief to concern about lost perspectives.
Read at www.berkeleyside.org
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