Why we’re leaving comments on redding.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 Redding Record Searchlight 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.