Why did CNN close all comments?

[Mr. Hanky]

A simple question that we all have opinions on: Why did the coward liberals of CNN decide to close the comments on almost all of their content? If it had anything to do about journalistic integrity or concern for what people read you would be mistaken. That site has supported vile views for a decade plus.

[WOTR]

I am sure it has to do with the amount of shit comments they get.  Very few people bother being civil on the internet and even fewer have any intelligence.  Most "comment" sections have become a rather vile, nasty mix of mud slinging, personal attacks and pointless, off topic posts.  I seem to recall reading something about a popular site's founder saying pretty much the same thing.

The hope that people could have a civil discussion with tens of thousands of posters is long gone.  Look at this board with 30 or 40 members active in the political section.  Look at what some threads degrade to (wishing each other dead by some very interesting misadventures and diseases.)  Take that, multiply it by thousands and tell me why any large site would leave open commenting open as a forum of hatred (on all sides- left, right, religious, atheist...)

I have not been to CNN forever and I do not know that I ever read their comment section- but I can almost guarantee that it was a joke with little relevance to the story but lots of hate.

[WOTR]

I hate misusing the word Ironically, but being as I found what I as looking for in a CNN article... (CNN reporting part of the south by southwest conference.) http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/11/tech/web/online-comments-sxsw/

In the early days of the Internet, there was hope that the unprecedented tool for global communication would lead to thoughtful sharing and discussion on its most popular sites.
A decade and a half later, the very idea is laughable, says Gawker Media founder Nick Denton.
"It didn't happen," said Denton, whose properties include the blogs Gawker, Jezebel, Gizmodo, io9 and Lifehacker. "It's a promise that has so not happened that people don't even have that ambition anymore.
"The idea of capturing the intelligence of the readership -- that's a joke."

The article goes on to list possible solutions to the problems with comment sections.  It is short and worth a read.  Oh- and the comment section is still open if you are so inclined (could somebody please tell me if that fits the definition of irony...)

[Mr. Hanky]

I am sure it has to do with the amount of shit comments they get.  Very few people bother being civil on the internet and even fewer have any intelligence.  Most "comment" sections have become a rather vile, nasty mix of mud slinging, personal attacks and pointless, off topic posts.  I seem to recall reading something about a popular site's founder saying pretty much the same thing.

The hope that people could have a civil discussion with tens of thousands of posters is long gone.  Look at this board with 30 or 40 members active in the political section.  Look at what some threads degrade to (wishing each other dead by some very interesting misadventures and diseases.)  Take that, multiply it by thousands and tell me why any large site would leave open commenting open as a forum of hatred (on all sides- left, right, religious, atheist...)

I have not been to CNN forever and I do not know that I ever read their comment section- but I can almost guarantee that it was a joke with little relevance to the story but lots of hate.

Maybe the hate has to do with the fact that they don't report the majority of the American's views on topic, such as with immigration and race. Forget all the other horseshit. CNN has an agenda. They are pro-illegal immigration and bleeding hearts to the minority that commit crimes. I think you know this.

[Mr. Hanky]

I should augment my opinion. Why does any news organization inflect their biased opinion on news on their site, and when it is not agreed with by the majority, decide to shut down their comments section. Seems like a chicken-shit move to me.

[Gd5150]

In the early days of the Internet, there was hope that the unprecedented tool for global communication would lead to thoughtful sharing and discussion on its most popular sites.
A decade and a half later, the very idea is laughable, says Gawker Media founder Nick Denton.
"It didn't happen," said Denton, whose properties include the blogs Gawker, Jezebel, Gizmodo, io9 and Lifehacker. "It's a promise that has so not happened that people don't even have that ambition anymore.

This is because people who are educated, have real jobs and lives, have better things to do that sit on the internet and thoughtfully share their opinions to the losers of the world. The internet was built and paid for by porn...simple. The rest has just been convenient residuals.

[PB the Deplorable]

... In the early days of the Internet, there was hope that the unprecedented tool for global communication would lead to thoughtful sharing and discussion on its most popular sites.

A decade and a half later, the very idea is laughable, says Gawker Media founder Nick Denton.

"It didn't happen," said Denton, whose properties include the blogs Gawker, Jezebel, Gizmodo, io9 and Lifehacker. "It's a promise that has so not happened that people don't even have that ambition anymore.

"The idea of capturing the intelligence of the readership -- that's a joke."...

From what I understand they thought the same about TV in the early years.

[Avi]

This is because people who are educated, have real jobs and lives, have better things to do that sit on the internet and thoughtfully share their opinions to the losers of the world. The internet was built and paid for by porn...simple. The rest has just been convenient residuals.

Grasshopper thanks you, Master Po. 

[PB the Deplorable]

A simple question that we all have opinions on: Why did the coward liberals of CNN decide to close the comments on almost all of their content?...

The Libs are all for free speech, until people say things they don't like.

If someone objects to the garbage and claptrap pumped out by (fill in the blank), the Libs tell us to turn it off, don't buy it, don't watch it, don't listen, don't read it, etc, and sanctimoniously inform us how sacrosanct free speech is.  Fair being fair, seems like CNN ought to just tell their whiny Lib readers to not read the comments if they don't like them.   

When we finally get to that irreversible Left wing dictatorship, free speech will be the first to go.

[b_dubb]

A better question: why the fuck are you at CNN when you could be doing ANYTHING else?

[Catsmile]

Because they got tired of you endlessly caterwauling every time a thread went off topic?  :

[WOTR]

The Libs are all for free speech, until people say things they don't like.

But you and I know there is no right to free speech on the net.  MV allows almost anything here (thanks MV) but does not need to.  If he chose he could ban every right or left leaning poster and turn it into an echo chamber.  CNN is no different.  they are not curtailing "free speech" they are saying that you cannot post on their site.  You are still free to start a "CNN comments" thread here and scream at your computer till you are blue in the face at an internet cafe. (Or until they kick you out as just like CNN, they are privately owned and have the right to remove you, your comments and your person for disruptions.)

I do not go to stormfront, and post for racial equality.  They would ban me, and CNN is free to ban people and disallow comments- it is their site.

Again, I think we both know that news is not the unbiased public service that we were told it was.  It is a profit driven machine who caters to a base.  CNN must think that their base is sick of reading the crap that gets posted and would be happier to just forgo comments all together.  If they are wrong, the free market will inform them.

[WOTR]

The internet was built and paid for by porn...simple. The rest has just been convenient residuals.

So true.

Maybe the hate has to do with the fact that they don't report the majority of the American's views on topic, such as with immigration and race. Forget all the other horseshit. CNN has an agenda. They are pro-illegal immigration and bleeding hearts to the minority that commit crimes. I think you know this.

I am not their target audience.  If their target audience agrees with their views they are entitled.  CNN has decided that their subscribers and readers do not wish to be subjected to views that do not align with their own (at least with the amount of venom that they are posted with.)  It is their right to protect their brand and shelter their readers to keep them comfortable. 

My guess is that they started to loose their audience because people were sick of reading the hatred that was spewed (I am not even going to argue if the hatred is justified or not.)  CNN decided to step in to protect profits and "boom" the comments are closed.  It is no different from your local coffee shop not allowing you to enter with a bullhorn and scream at their customers who disagree with your views.

I am not arguing if it is right or wrong- only that they are well within their right and it is probably a smart business move.

[b_dubb]

Internet was paid for by the Cold War. Porn was the first successful business on the Internet.

[WOTR]

Internet was paid for by the Cold War. Porn was the first successful business on the Internet.

Yes, I am old enough to remember that- and back when it was used more as an academic tool.  Dial up modems were far too slow for streaming porn... But as the youtube song goes, "the internet is for porn."

Also, while cybermonday did 1.5 billion Taobao did 5.75 billion on their 1111 holiday.  Clearly there is more to commerce than just porn.

With that said, the internet IS for porn... with the lyrics "why you think the net was born??? Porn! Porn!! Porn!!!"  If this video does not make you laugh, there is something very wrong with your humour.


Internet is for PORN!!

[PB the Deplorable]

But you and I know there is no right to free speech on the net.  MV allows almost anything here (thanks MV) but does not need to.  If he chose he could ban every right or left leaning poster and turn it into an echo chamber.  CNN is no different.  they are not curtailing "free speech" they are saying that you cannot post on their site.  You are still free to start a "CNN comments" thread here and scream at your computer till you are blue in the face at an internet cafe. (Or until they kick you out as just like CNN, they are privately owned and have the right to remove you, your comments and your person for disruptions.)

I do not go to stormfront, and post for racial equality.  They would ban me, and CNN is free to ban people and disallow comments- it is their site.

Again, I think we both know that news is not the unbiased public service that we were told it was.  It is a profit driven machine who caters to a base.  CNN must think that their base is sick of reading the crap that gets posted and would be happier to just forgo comments all together.  If they are wrong, the free market will inform them.

They can do whatever they want.  It's true this is not a First Amendment issue, and they are fully justified in doing what they think they need to do to clean their website up (anonymous internet posters on either side can be pretty vile). 

I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy from people who are always telling the other side to suck it up when they have similar concerns.

[onan]

They can do whatever they want.  It's true this is not a First Amendment issue, and they are fully justified in doing what they think they need to do to clean their website up (anonymous internet posters on either side can be pretty vile). 

I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy from people who are always telling the other side to suck it up when they have similar concerns.

I used to visit CNN's website. I found the news articles there about as informing as any other news website. As with other news sites, the comments sections are usually populated with people that have no interest in intelligent and civil discourse. To suggest CNN is hypocritical to discontinue (pay for) "you suck" conversations may be a mistake.

But if someone is simple minded enough to think all liberals are bad and all conservatives are good... that is the reason comment sections are discontinued.

[PB the Deplorable]

... But if someone is simple minded enough to think all liberals are bad and all conservatives are good...

After all those years of increasing socialism, building this bloated intrusive government, always putting our country down and trying to weaken it,  lying about people they don't agree with and smearing them, the Libs ultimately give us Barrack Obama.  Then tell us it's 'racism' to criticize him, let alone oppose his policies. 

What are we supposed to think?

[onan]

After all those years of increasing socialism, building this bloated intrusive government, always putting our country down and trying to weaken it,  lying about people they don't agree with and smearing them, the Libs ultimately give us Barrack Obama.  Then tell us it's 'racism' to criticize him, let alone oppose his policies. 

What are we supposed to think?

To quote someone I like on this forum:

Here we go..

[b_dubb]

PB needs to move away from SanFran area. It's warped you.

Your broad generalizations about the Left aren't doing you any favors either. The blame game never helps. Coke Vs Pepsi politics just perpetuate business as usual and never actually advances solution to any dilemma. Or in other words ... Coke Vs Pepsi politics helps politicians but doesn't do anything to improve our situation.

[paladin1991]

  Most "comment" sections have become a rather vile, nasty mix of mud slinging, personal attacks and pointless, off topic posts.  I seem to recall reading something about a popular site's founder saying pretty much the same thing.

Kinda like here.

[paladin1991]

The Libs are all for free speech, until people say things they don't like.

Come on, PB, let's be honest.  It's the same on both sides.  The leadership of both teams thrives on the hatred.

Fuck them all

[paladin1991]

I do not go to stormfront, and post for racial equality.  They would ban me, and CNN is free to ban people and disallow comments- it is their site.

But it's soooo much fun.  "Come on gang!  Time to go fuck with the Nutzis again!'

On the Stormfront site, the admin looks again at the threads and responses...."Hey waitaminute, WhitePrideUranus?  Bet that's that fucken race traitor paladin again!"