I’ve gotten a few questions by email today, wanting to know why commenting has been disabled on stories about the Rick Pitino saga in Louisville. Internet commenting has been a subject of great debate in the news industry for quite some time, and a subject of much discussion in the Herald-Leader newsroom.
We allow commenting on most stories, but take heightened care with commenting on a few categories of stories that in the past have shown that they tend to get out of hand in ways that violate or get awfully close to violating our commenting policy. Among other things, that policy states that users may not post a comment that is “libelous, defamatory, obscene, abusive, that violates a third party’s right to privacy, that otherwise violates any applicable local, state, national or international law, or that is otherwise inappropriate.”
We do not have the staff to monitor comments on every story on the site on a minute-by-minute basis, though we do respond to reports of abuse. And in the past, commenting on some types of stories has moved into inappropriate areas quickly. Frankly, from experience, one of the categories that we look at more carefully involves allegations of a sexual nature or stories involving sex. In the Pitino case, given the nature of the allegations contained in the police report, it was our expectation that the commenting would get out of hand quickly – and we would not have the capacity to monitor or remove inappropriate comments quickly enough. So commenting was disabled.
I know this isn’t popular with everyone who uses the site, but we thought it prudent to make the decision on the front end.
It’s worth noting that other news outlets also did not allow commenting on these stories, though some did. I have looked at a few media sites that are allowing commenting on the Pitino stories, and that has, to me, validated our decision to disable commenting. On many of those sites, the commenting has devolved into crude sexual commentary, vulgarity, and tasteless personal attacks on both of the parties involved in the story.
In the unusual cases when we disable story commenting, we try to give readers other avenues to express their opinions. On this story, there are many such avenues. First, there is a poll on www.kentucky.com connected with the stories that allows readers to vote on whether Pitino should keep his job. As always, forums and message boards are available on the Web site for readers to discuss the story. And John Clay, who monitors comments on his blog, is allowing comments on Sidelines (as well as commentary appearing on Twitter about the Pitino) matter.
Again, thanks to all those who shared their thoughts on commenting in this case. If you have any questions or comments on commenting, feel free to contact me at pbaniak@herald-leader.com.
Peter Baniak
yay for free speech!!!!!!! yes!!! you go herald leader, suppress those rights!!!! woohoo! do you have a sister paper in China!?!?!?
garbage!
oh, boo hoo you whiners. write a comment the old fashioned way and send it to the HL. oh, too lazy. right.
I thought newspapers were against prior restraint!
You thought comments “might get close” to violating your policy.
I would expect better.
Oh yes, and what about Mark Story libeling Coach K?
Another way the press tries to make us think what they want. I had a positive comment to leave as I feel Pitino should NOT resign. Mr. Story are you PERFECT, as Jesus said to the Pharisees, ye who are without fault cast the first stone. Bitterness and retaliation is a sin and at least Mr. Pitino told the truth and asked forgiveness, one thing most won’t do if put in the same situation. I’m a UK fan also who still likes Pitino–go figure!
With all the idiots and morally lost souls in this world and so many VERY close to home, and all the “stuff” going on in Congress, how can anyone demand that Rick Pitino allow some rude and crude people to end his career? I am sure his family has been dealing with his betrayal for several years now — it’s old news to them. RICK — HANG IN THERE AND TOUGH IT OUT AND SHOW YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR SCHOOL AND LASTLY THE FANS THAT YOU ARE TRULY MADE OF BETTER STUFF. You made your admission and apology, now keep on being the person we always thought you were.
A UK fan of 50 plus years….
guess we know why porcini restaurant is 5-star — they provide that exquisite customer service not readily available at all “eateries” (LMAO!!!!)
i think he should stay, not to many years ago a high ranking state official done the same thing and he stayed. i also am a U.K. FAN thats 50 years+
As a born and bred Kentuckian, I am actually glad that the HL didn’t allow comments on this topic. Why? Well, that is because a wife and five children would have to read the comments that might have been made by that very small percentage of the UK faithful that feel the need to continually denegrate U of L. This is an awful situation, and one that needs to be dealt with. But, it doesn’t need to be dealt with by personal attacks. Don’t get me wrong, free speech is a wonderful right that we enjoy as Americans, but let’s use that right judiciously and not in a way that would hurt the innocent in this situation. Go Big Blue!! and Go Cards!! Kentucky is THE basketball state, not North Carolina!!!!!!
Brian and John, take a civics class and study the First Amendment. It says the GOVERNMENT can’t stop you from speaking or writing. The Herald-Leader is not Pravda or the Beijing People’s Daily; it is privately owned. Thus it has the right to decide what will or won’t appear in the paper or on its website.
Under the First Amendment, you are free to write a comment or even an entire book about Rick Pitino. But you do not have the right to force the Herald-Leader to publish either one.
Interesting that the HL doesn’t have people available to peruse their responses on stories that they “think” may get too close or over the line. If you can write the story, you should be able to stand the comments. Don’t prejudge the readers.
All the whiners just like to see a good train wreck. I say don’t feed the trolls.
thank you for the civility. more newspapers need to do this … save the one-liners, and there are some good ones, for the comedy clubs and locker rooms
All this crap makes me sick. pitano [yes, no caps for his name, he does not even deserve that!] No matter who thinks anyone is judging, God is the only one to judge and we all can see from the fruits of one’s labors what they are really like, this is scripture without being judgemental. Mistake! Oversight? Still the greatest coach? All will forgive? Don’t think so on any of the above questions. Eveyone has an opinion and each is probably for the man who committed adultry, pitino, I for one am against him for all that it matters. As to no comments following the news articles, most of the time they will not go through or even be published when they do. What moral college would want a man of this sorts to coach their students? Oh yeah, forgot, this is Kentucky and basketball is God. Not!!!!!
I think you are wise in not allowing comments. So Pitino did wrong, and we know it, and he knows it, so let it go. Ms. Pitino and his children have done nothing wrong and deserve to not have to look at some of the rude, crass remarks that would be written. I am a UK fan, a Rick Pitino fan, and a John Calipari fan, and Rick was wrong, so let it die. He has apologized, been dragged through the public square and back, so let’s move on.
Good call, Peter! Your explanation makes good sense.
The Herald-Leader is right to disallow comments whenever it chooses. They own Kentucky.com; it’s not a tax-funded, public-owned entity.
In addition, online story comments tend to bring out the worst in people (see some of the above comments). I have read a lot of vitriolic, venomous remarks on stories of even mild subject matter. I agree with the California Kentuckian; I don’t want to have to shield my child from comments by angry people who don’t have the decency to control themselves while typing.
It’s great to see some class Kentuckians show up here — California Kentuckian, astockon and others…. Yes Pitino did wrong, no one argues that, the issue is about the class and behavior of KY fans — don’t bring down contempt and disrespect on our school.
Pitino has spent his life “saying what people want to hear” and writing books about “himself.” This is all about “him”. Besides, people are always sorry when they get caught, right?
Thank you for turning off comments for these articles, Mr. Baniak. Thanks, in advance, for limiting coverage on the story in the future. This a private matter that really does not belong in the media any longer.
Frankly, I think the reason comments were disabled at the H-L and the C-J was both papers felt the comment traffic would overwhelm and crash their websites. And it may very well have. A disclaimer at the bottom of each story would have been wise. It looks like the C-J is allowing comments now, so…it must not have been because the story was about sex.
Sex, Race, and Money/Greed stories (and to a lesser extent, politics and murder) always drive comments that quickly get out of hand. And yet the H-L allows comments on those. It was the enormity of this story that drove this decision. Not the subject.
Well-why are we tip toeing around coach p’s antics? He broke the most sacred vow-marriage. It’s not about b-ball this time,he cheated on his wife and admitted it.Does U of L condone this type of morals? Why? Distance him from our state,our school,and our lives-he did the ultimate sin. Don’t make Kentucky the laughing stock-go back north-we have morals here.
Coach P made her get an abortion to cover his mess-this is wrong on so many levels.Shame on anyone who approves of this-he will reap his due.
And UofL fans were accusing Coach Cal of things that he hadn’t even done! Now I hope they can sit back and reflect. I agree with Glenn, people are always sorry when they get caught…he wasn’t sorry when he was in the “physical act.” His job on the line, his marriage in the ditch, his children embarrassed, UofL embarrassed, might as well go on TV and apologize, what’s left?! Just can’t abort this story as you can with your baby, huh? Isn’t there a morals clause in his contract? Hmmmmm. Looks like the fun is over.