Why we’re leaving comments on jconline.com Anjanette Delgado and Brian Smith, Gannett, and Talia Stroud, the Center for Media Engagement Commenting sections have gotten a bad rap. When news outlets first launched websites, comment sections were seen as a way to offer readers a place to gather and share their thoughts on the news. Over the years, many went unmonitored or relied on sub-par systems to moderate the comments. Instead of a place for thoughtful debate and engagement, they became filled with spam and vitriol. At the Journal & Courier and the USA TODAY Network, we partnered with the Center for Media Engagement to study our options and find a better path. After extensive research and testing, sites like ours are keeping comments, but with a better system in place. Let us explain.