Engaged journalists know there’s value to good participation in and moderation of online comments. But what does that actually look like? In this 30-minute video chat with Teddy Amenabar of The Washington Post, Elizabeth Dunbar of Minnesota Public Radio, and Andrew Losowsky of The Coral Project, we’ll talk about some benefits of investing in comments. Then we’ll look at specific comment threads and do some live brainstorming about how journalists could/should/might participate in them.
“Democracy Dies in Dankness.” That’s the tagline of the Washington Post‘s official Reddit profile. The tagline mirrors the Post’s informal, even irreverant, approach on Reddit. Managed by social media editor and long-time Reddit user Gene Park, the Post’s Reddit profile participates on the platform just like any other Reddit user, engaging in humorous banter, posting memes, and playing it straight with other users. This approach has helped the Post build meaningful relationships with Reddit users, who have jumped at opportunities to ask questions during Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions with reporters and learn about the Post’s reporting process.
