Poynter. » Community Engagement

5 ways to engage more with your audience — in person and online

James Janega — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:32:41 +0000

Talk about engagement with a journalist these days, and the conversation turns quickly to social media. Who can deny the influence of social media, which now serves as a news source for one-third of adults under 30?

If you … Read more

Early comments on stories affect what later readers believe, and what they say

Jeff Sonderman — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:52:16 +0000

A recent scientific experiment demonstrated the importance of intervening in comment sections to cultivate constructive discussion, particularly just after publication.

Scientific American Blog Editor Bora Zivkovic writes about the results, which showed that the tone of pre-existing comments on … Read more

How to keep social media reaction in perspective when covering the elections

Regina McCombs — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:34:04 +0000

Flip the channel or the page, and you’ll find it: coverage of the social media reaction to news events — and political events like conventions and debates.

Much of it, however, talks about that reaction as though it represents the … Read more

Assessing Legal Risks and Guidelines for User Comments

Al Tompkins — Thu, 31 May 2007 10:43:19 +0000

By Al Tompkins
Broadcast/Online Group Leader

As newsrooms across the country grapple with online user comments, the discussion often turns to legal implications. I wanted to demystify the matter and sort through the rumor and rhetoric. So I went after … Read more

Feedback for Thought: Did We Do the Right Thing?

Scott Libin — Thu, 24 May 2007 17:27:38 +0000

By Scott Libin
Poynter Online Managing Editor

Where I work, the legendary status
of Eugene Patterson is perhaps second only to that of Nelson Poynter
himself. Patterson won a Pulitzer Prize
for his Atlanta Constitution columns
on civil rights during … Read more

Baggy Pants, Drunken Driving and Day Care: Cincy’s Challenges with User Comments

Bob Steele — Thu, 24 May 2007 15:39:06 +0000

By Bob Steele
The Nelson Poynter Scholar for Journalism Values

I recently spent a couple of days trying to help people in The (Cincinnati) Enquirer newsroom come to terms with ethical challenges that affect journalists almost everywhere in this cyber … Read more

Poynter’s Take on User Comments

Bill Mitchell — Thu, 17 May 2007 18:21:57 +0000

Since 2002, Poynter Online has allowed users to share feedback on stories they read. Bill Mitchell, editor of Poynter Online, answered questions in the user commenting survey on Poynter’s approach to commenting. Here are his responses:

How do you … Read more

The Frames of Incivility

Roy Peter Clark — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:33:17 +0000

By Roy Peter Clark
Senior Scholar and Vice President

If we crave a civil discourse about incivility, we might
begin by gazing through the various frames people build to express their
opinions on this topic. These frames
contain sets of … Read more

They Shot His Dog: Historical Lessons on Incivility

Roy Peter Clark — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:15:50 +0000

By Roy Peter Clark
Senior Scholar and Vice President

Every day from 1960 to 1968, Gene Patterson wrote a signed daily column on the editorial page of the Atlanta Constitution. Many of those 3,000 pieces concerned race. Patterson and … Read more

Dialogue or Diatribe: One Woman’s Story

Kelly McBride — Thu, 17 May 2007 15:46:34 +0000

By Kelly McBride
Ethics Group Leader

April Branum is used to the teasing. As a child, she was the fat kid. Now she’s a big woman. Her entire life she has endured stares, jokes and rudeness.

If anyone could stand … Read more