Statesman Changes Comments, Too

Uncle Bob (RE: Poll: Name names ): I would also point to the Idaho Statesman, which changed to a commenting system requiring Facebook accounts with verifiable names. Since the change, commenting pretty much ceased, and the little that does occur is not particularly stimulating. Maybe that’s why Popkey joined the other smart rats and climbed aboard the flotsam to escape that sinking ship.

Question: Is there a pattern here — newspapers switching away from the wide-open policy of the past to keep troublesome commenters between the lines?