The News-Sentinel needs to just do away with the comment feature...

[bird jam]

It seems like it's the same 8 (or so) people making the same comments on every story.

Then you get the stories that invite comments like this one about the UT student being robbed (I would imagine it will be removed at some point):

Posted by achris1212 on October 3, 2007 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Only blacks walk in groups of 5 or more. They all looked like ghetto thugs, baggy pants and white t-shirts down to the knees to conceal the guns. Every sentence begins with MF, MF. They check out all the white women who walk by. And don't forget the baseball cap with the decal still on the brim. Lots of gold bling and teeth. The cops know this profile and can't do anything without probable cause. I say stop all blacks in groups of 2 or more and search them for guns. This will eliminate half of America's crime cause it will get these cancerous nodes off the streets on federal weapons charges and probably link them to other unsolved crimes. Knoxville, its in your backyard now. I am from a ghetto city and I've seen it deteriorate into a crime infested sewer. Your beautiful city is headed in that direction because of political correctness and fear of being called "racist". Profile them all, I say, and let the chips fall where they may.

That's some enlightened thinking right there, folks. Is this the guy that got arrested at the Klan rally this summer?

The KNS comments feature needs to go.

[kag]

I disagree that it needs to go.

Community is an integral part of new media. We aren't always going to agree with what members of the community have to say.

We struggle with this all the time at WBIR, and there are limits to what we will allow to stay online, but doing away with community altogether is not the answer.

It's very enlightening to read many of the comments and realize how far we still have to go in opening minds to issues of tolerance and diversity in East Tennessee.

[KO]

[bird jam]

I disagree that it needs to go.

Community is an integral part of new media. We aren't always going to agree with what members of the community have to say.

We struggle with this all the time at WBIR, and there are limits to what we will allow to stay online, but doing away with community altogether is not the answer.

It's very enlightening to read many of the comments and realize how far we still have to go in opening minds to issues of tolerance and diversity in East Tennessee.

I can agree that it serves the depressing purpose of showing us just how closed-minded and ignorant people can be. I guess I just don't think it's worth the trade-off of letting the rest of the world see how closed-minded and ignorant (some of) the people of Knoxville are...

[F-Stop]

^^Hehe, KO^^



I'm with KAG, bird jam. Let the morons speak. I've read the comments on KNS, but the WBIR board (topix?) seems to get more traffic. I've read comments there that made me take a second look at just how grossly ignorant and judgemental people can really be.

If you stifle these opinions and speech, you'll just end up strengthening their resolve. But if enough people reply and say, "Wow, you sound uninformed and ignorant; here's the deal ok", then they have a better chance of finally getting it. Not saying it will work all or even most of the time, but it will go along way toward informing the guy lurking on the fence.

[# 9]

A new word enters the lexicon.

[CAFKIA]

There is apparently a reason why self selected participation in polls is not considered scientifically sound. The comments section is like that as well. It can't be considered representative of the larger community and information gleaned must be considered with a caveat about source and reliability. But, there is information there to be gleaned. There is also the opportunity to teach, were one so inclined. That one comment has so much misinformation, illogic, and idiocy that a good teacher could probably teach out of it for a semester.

The real solution for the KNS IMNSHO, is to take the reins and come up with a way to induce more than just the fringe comments. I don't find their site particularly friendly or inviting. So, I rarely go there outside of clicking on someone else's link. Perhaps if they advertised and sponsored regular online discussions, so as to get people in the KNS online habit, they could improve the level and nature of the comments.

But, maybe it is nearly impossible for a corporate entity to understand the blogosphere well enough to actually make effective use of it.

[metulj]

How dare you post a picture of # 9!

[KO]

How dare you post a picture of # 9!

You think #9 is Adrian Danner? Interesting.... You might be on to something.

[Exodor]

I usually consider the Perspectives section of the KNS to be an extension of the Entertainment section.

I usually get at least a few laughs out of it, anyway.