What's up with local news comments sections going to facebook?

[Capt Worley PE]

Anyone notice this? All three local TV stations went Facebook comments only a couple of years ago. Now the local newspaper (I think McClatchey did it across the board) does commenting through FB only.

What's the deal? Are they getting kickbacks from FB or something?

I don't use FB and have no intention of starting....

 

[Sapper PE LS]

I've noticed that there are several sites that you can only join / login through Facebook. I don't join. Facebook is a beast that changed the Internet, unfortunately.

 

[Judowolf PE]

I have no support to back this up, but to me it would be free advertising for your tv/newspaper website. The person who posts now shows everyone they know the article/story headline, so to understand their comment their friends would have to go to the website via the link and view the whole story, it increases foot traffic on the site and maybe some of them stay and/or return again.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

I have no support to back this up, but to me it would be free advertising for your tv/newspaper website. The person who posts now shows everyone they know the article/story headline, so to understand their comment their friends would have to go to the website via the link and view the whole story, it increases foot traffic on the site and maybe some of them stay and/or return again.

I think you have the option of showing your comments on your facebook page or not. IMO, they're doing this to minimize the number of trolls - if you have to log in through facebook, you may be less likely to spew garbage if your name is attached to it instead of an anonymous user id. Most people aren't likely to set up fake facebook accounts just to go trolling. ESPN went the facebook route as well and it cut down the crap in their comments section tremendously.......

 

[goodal]

I'm with you Capt. I don't understand why they assume everyone is on Facebook. I am not on and never will be.

 

[Dark Knight]

ESPN did the same. I guess your awareness kicks up when your name is shown in a comment on the web. I bet that there is a lot of $$$$ involved. Everything is about money.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

The local channels claimed their change to FB comments was to cut back on trolls. Now you wont see more than 3-4 comments on a given story.

Plus, they each default to "post to facebook" so that if you comment, their link is posted to your timeline and possibly generates more web traffic.

 

[snickerd3]

the chicago trib has been that way for awhile. The local paper here by work switched earlier this year...they even went so far as saying posts by fake fb accounts will be deleted. It cut down on the number of trolls and sheer wickedness people were spewing from behind the alais. I never commented on things before but it makes t nicer not to see so many people being so mean to each other

 

[Capt Worley PE]

They had some pretty good discussions on The State's comment boards. Sadly, you usually got a lot more of the story from them, too. I suspect that may have been the real reason. McClatchey ruined The State newspaper, from a reporting standpoint.

 

[csb]

In related news:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments

 

[csb]

In related news:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments

 

[wilheldp_PE]

It's like a real news website with the same story posted repeatedly.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

In related news:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments

Interesting take on that here: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/25/popular-science-youtube-comments