E-Media Tidbits

I can't say I'm surprised. Almost as soon as the Los Angeles Times' new "wikitorials" went online, they were flooded with "inappropriate material." So the Times website pulled them, for now. Bummer.

Didn't Times Web and editorial staff see this problem coming? Couldn't they have implemented appropriate protective measures right from the start? This project sounded bold and creative -- but it also sounded like a major spam and troll magnet. Even worse, from what I've seen online over the years, Los Angeles appears to be a breeding ground for online trolls.

I do hope those wikitorials fare better when they return. ... If they return.

On a related note, when I first heard the term "wikitorial" I thought is was related to "tutorial," rather than "editorial." Now that I think of it, maybe that might be a more constructive and less spam/troll-prone direction.

Here's my idea: News organizations could offer wiki-based backgrounders and tutorials on important public topics -- with a focus on the news value and public-interest aspects. I know this approach would be a bit tamer than wikified editorials, but maybe it's worth considering. All news needs context, and this could be an especially rich source of context.

(Thanks to Below the Fold for tipping me off about this.)