I am extremely disappointed by The Weekly editors' decision to disable comments on the Web version of last week's cover piece, "Hazed: A Greek Tragedy." The "sensitive nature of the story," which an Editor's Note cited as a reason for shutting down public comments, is exactly why the feedback mechanism needs to be there.
An exposé like "Hazed" directly affects people's lives and reputations by making controversial and potentially damaging claims, and readers should not be denied the right to give unfiltered responses, especially when they have that right in every other article on The Daily Web site.
Since the publication of the piece, I've heard many conversations around campus questioning the accuracy and the ethics of the reporting. That discussion needs to be had in an open forum where no opinion is discounted and all interested parties have equal and immediate access. The editors' decision to selectively disable online feedback tells me not that they're concerned about potentially distasteful comments, but that they're trying to get away with publishing a sensational piece without having to confront tough questions from its readers
- James Shih
Medill senior
Former Daily?columnist
Spring Break
The DAILY encourages you to share your thoughts on this story. Please help us keep the discussion lively, but civil. Comments that are abusive to others, off-topic or vulgar, or comments that misrepresent someone's identity, will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to delete any comments in violation or to close comment threads on articles.
Please e-mail online@dailynorthwestern.com to flag a comment or for more information.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 18
Charles
posted 5/07/08 @ 5:55 AM CST
"The editors' decision to selectively disable online feedback tells me not that they're concerned about potentially distasteful comments, but that they're trying to get away with publishing a sensational piece without having to confront tough questions from its readers"
*Well said!*
i
posted 5/07/08 @ 9:37 AM CST
Thank you - I completely agree. It has never become more apparant how powerful the daily can be - an inflammatory piece attacking one organization on campus that has no ability to publicly defend itself other than through letters to the editor (which can be edited, if not completely ignored) just doesn't make much sense to me. (Continued…)
So now the Daily's racist
posted 5/07/08 @ 10:45 AM CST
Seriously? It's not even 10 am and we're already resorting to calling people racists?
Ivy
posted 5/07/08 @ 1:03 PM CST
OK, so the ability to comment on Daily stories online is a relatively new thing. No one was able to comment, on ANY story, a year ago, and inflammatory things were written all the time. (Continued…)
mike
posted 5/07/08 @ 3:13 PM CST
James raises some very good points. Well put!
Hypocritical Lodge
posted 5/07/08 @ 3:14 PM CST
I find it hilarious that a Lodge member wrote this article, especially when a Lodge pledge only this year had their neck sliced open by a knife during a "pledge event," which of course featured plenty of alcohol. (Continued…)
MGC
posted 5/07/08 @ 5:12 PM CST
I am a member of the greek community I think we should be cautious on our attacks on Lodge. We must remember that this is one member of an organization and it might not reflect the entire chapter, which probably comprises of over 100 people. (Continued…)
Rachel
posted 5/08/08 @ 12:49 AM CST
With the growing currency of online forums as fruitful debating grounds among large audiences, the editors of the Weekly are essentially stamping out much of the conversation they created with this provocative piece by disabling reader comments. (Continued…)
buffoonery
posted 5/08/08 @ 12:10 PM CST
For i:
You are correct, sir (or madam), and my response to you is this: Don't expect any fair treatment from a newspaper. Just wait until you start dealing with a real newspaper (well, sort of), like the Tribune, which is superb at paying lip service to journalistic integrity but to often honors it only in the breach. (Continued…)
David Murphy
posted 5/08/08 @ 1:22 PM CST
Doesn't The Daily have a Public Editor to address this sort of thing? Where are you, good sir/madam?
.David Murphy
BSJ/MSJ '06
Post a Comment