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Diversity of Journalisms. Proceedings of ECREA/CICOM Conference, Pamplona, 4-5 July 2011
substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we have
created a space where readers can exchange intelligent and informed commentary that
enhances the quality of our news and information”,
This is an attempt to achieve, through the norms, a balance between freedom of
expression and respect for the other. The online newspapers analysed only protect
freedom of expression which is respectful of the other and of democratic principles. As
Lemonde.fr declares, “we can criticise arguments, not individuals”.
The responsibility of the user begins with the obligation to register. Lemonde.fr is the
strictest, given that it only allows subscribers to comment. The French newspaper
demands to know the Christian name, surname, gender, email address, country, post
code and date of birth. These are details that are usually requested by all, although
some, like Larepubblica.it, also ask for fixed telephone and mobile phone numbers.
The medium that asks for the least details is Elpais.com; name and email address.
Once registered, the newspapers permit the use of an alias. Nonetheless, the opinion
of Nytimes.com is interesting: “We have found that people who use their names carry
on more engaging, respectful conversations”. Anonymity dilutes responsibility.
A new moral subject
Until now, the Ethics of Communication protected the receiver because the latter was
in an asymmetrical relationship with the institutional emitters had to be protected from
determinate content. Ethics must now protect the users of the content of other users. A
new moral subject has been born. While the former receiver had rights above all else,
the new prosumer has duties above all else. This is the meaning of the norms of the
online newspapers. And the first duty consists in being responsible for the content s/he
generates. The responsibility of the medium is that of ensuring that the user assumes
his/her responsibility because, if s/he does not do so, s/he will be expelled from the
dialogue. This is the important function of the moderation teams, responsible for
ensuring that the user’s content fits the norms.
The moderation teams are the expression of the commitment that participation should
not only have an entrepreneurial aim directed at increasing profits due to an increase of
users, but that it should also have the effect of an intelligent exchange of arguments
that improves the formation of Public Opinion. To that end, the quantity and quality of
these teams are a symptom of the responsibility of the medium.
Moderation teams. All the newspapers analysed had moderation teams. However, not
all of them make clear whether this moderation is previous or takes place once the
comment is published. Only Lemonde.fr states that it previously moderates the “Near
and Middle East” section. The French online newspaper sometimes decides to block a
debate when it is detected that a discussion “between two participants has become
bitter or is drifting towards awkward issues”. For its part, Nytimes.com hints at prior
moderation when it states that it “generally cannot alter a comment once its is posted”.
On other occasions, the decision to consider a conversation concluded, or not to open
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