Journalism, Online Comments, and the Future of Public Discourse

Comments on digital news stories and on social media play an increasingly important role in public discourse as more citizens communicate through online networks. The reasons for eliminating comments on news stories are plentiful. Off-topic posts and toxic commentary have been shown to undermine legitimate news reporting, yet the proliferation of digital communication technology has revolutionized the setting for democratic participation. The digital exchange of ideas and opinions is now a vital component of the democratic landscape. Marie K. Shanahan's book argues for news organizations to stop retreating from comments sections and make organizing citizens' online commentary part of their mission; to recognize commenters as democratic actors and use journalistic rigor to add value to citizens’ comments above the social layer. Through original interviews, anecdotes, field observations, summaries of research literature, Shanahan makes the case for professional journalists, especially those in small and medium sized newsrooms, to seize upon this pivotal moment in digital history to provide leadership in the online discourse happening on and around news stories.

Marie K. Shanahan is an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut. She has worked as a professional writer, online producer and journalist for more than 20 years. Her interest in the possibilities of interactive media led her away from an early career as print news reporter at The Hartford Courant to the digital side of news. Shanahan has worked with news on the web since 1998, tracking the anonymous, unmoderated, unchartered territory of user comments on news stories. She spent 12 years as an online producer and online editor at the Courant, and one year as a regional editor for AOL’s Patch.com, where she launched 10 local news websites in north central Connecticut.