Modern debate is lightning fast. Most news outlets have opportunities for readers to post comments at the end of online articles and blog posts immediately after the piece is published. No more waiting for the Post Office and editor’s desk to process your letter to the editor.
The price of that speed is civility. Online comments are most often anonymous, nasty and brutish. Some news outlets referee their comments or try to shape constructive conversations, while others simply unplug the conversation when it borders on libel.
Public debate is rough and tumble and never for the faint of heart. But online bullies can have the effect of out-shouting others, simply creating an atmosphere that repulses a vigorous discussion.
Studies also suggest that the toxic atmosphere of anonymous online comments can be effective at swaying the opinion of open-minded readers. Like negative advertising, smearing folks anonymously can, if not sway people outright, at least sow the seeds of doubt.
So what is an honest communicator to do? Abandon on-line comments altogether? Dip to the level of the mudslinging combatants?
No. Online comments are an opportunity to deliver your message and should be embraced for that. Also, editors often keep tabs of online comments as a measure of how hot an issue is, and how many resources should be invested in its coverage.
At Resource Media, we’ve seen online comments work for the good. For example, when a California outdoor writer took aim at ocean protection plans, conservationists reached out to local supporters by email, Facebook and Twitter. The community spoke loud and clear in the comments section, and the reporter clarified his position in the forum. The next day. he ran a follow-up article acknowledging the benefits of protecting fish breeding and feeding grounds.
So engage, but engage strategically. Here’s how.
Plan ahead and get there first. Often, the first comment sets the frame for following discussion. Check articles on your topics early and often (find them using Google Alerts); be ready to comment immediately after a story goes live.
- Know your message and stick with it. You should know the values, threats and solution surrounding your issue, as perceived by your audience. Use comments to help repeat that message.
- Don’t feed the trolls. It’s oh-so tempting to wrestle with pigs, but you only get their mud all over you. Instead of taking the bait from trolls and bomb-throwers, bridge back to your core message.
- Be the grownup in the room. A good way to distinguish your voice is to be polite and courteous. Ignore the verbal slings and arrows and rise above the nasty rhetoric.
- Deploy your team. More is better with online comments. Make sure your allies and teammates know the message and are ready when opportunities arise to post comments.
- Don’t bog down. Know when to say “when.” When online comment threads start getting too deep, it’s a fair bet they are being read only by dedicated folks who have already made up their minds, not the open-minded, undecided folks you need to reach.
What’s your experience engaging in public debates in the online comments section of news outlets?
