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Um, Would You Please Shut It, Chicago Tribune Readers? Thanks.
The Chicago Tribune is, in 2008, finally getting around to dealing with the glorious, frustrating, and all-knowing voice of the commenter. This week the Tribune shut down their comment boards on all of their political news stories. What's more, the publication also yanked the Commenter's voice on a recent op-ed piece about Muslims and another story about Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. Why? Bill Adee, associate managing editor who also oversees the online operations, "ordered the suspension of comments on politics after he noticed the number of writers unfairly trashing the candidates." But more likely, the Tribune's writers and editors are growing frustrated with seeing their pearls of journalistic wisdom adorn racist, tangential, salacious rants and lies.
Stuff that SFist, and surely our sister site, Chicagoist, adores.
Anyway, we're surprised at this sudden comment thread removal; SFGate has commenters who spew forth entertaining zaniness and sometimes regrettable word choice, comments that the Tribune can't even begin to dream about. Thankfully, the Gate has kept that voice in tact for further debate and our entertainment.
The Tribune sums up their defense by saying that "[t]raditional newspapers built up their credibility by revering free speech (and even the boorish and ignorant have that right) but also by upholding standards of truth and civility." Which? Is a valid J school-y point. But, and although we do try to maintain a flow of conversation and baning a commenter on the rare occasion sure does sooth the soul, it's next to impossible to hold on to what a writer writes. Once your text is out there, it's -- poof! -- gone.