NP Refugee

Getting Past Newspapers' Past

Convincing a large media company to allow comments by readers at the foot of stories in 2002 was a difficult thing for editors to grasp. Granted, it was uncharted territory. They clearly didn't want comments from readers. After all, someone in the newsroom might have to monitor them, and by their accounts, they just didn't have people with time to perform that function. They fought me, fought the concept and just didn't want to make readers part of a "conversation." It really spoke to just how hard they were trying to hold onto to the past and keep the genii in the bottle.

It's so common now--almost unthinkable that they wouldn't allow reader comment. That group is unable to think differently.

They, Dean included, spend most of their energy trying to turn back time.