Censorhip at nzherald.co.nz

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spacedog

482 posts

Ultimate Geek

#109768 26-Sep-2012 09:01

Anyone notice that if you try to post a comment on an article on nzherald.co.nz that is sharply critical the moderators at the herald never approve the comments?

On several occasions I have posted comments that contained no profanity, did not attack another commenter, but stated a reasoned but sharply critical view of a government agency or elected official and the herald moderators have never approved the comment.

This happening to anyone else?

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#691527 26-Sep-2012 09:06

were you just too late or their approval process so slow that it did not appear in the order you expected? had to ask..

spacedog

482 posts

Ultimate Geek

#691537 26-Sep-2012 09:22

definitely not too late...and then watched a whole bunch get approved that looked like they were in the same approval queue as mine, but mine was never approved

This is not the first time this has happened to me. I admit, my comments were pretty critical and probably would have been unpopular with other commenters, but they certainly did not violate the commenting terms. They weren't profane, they didn't attack another commenter, they were critical though.

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#691541 26-Sep-2012 09:32

Yeah i've noticed that before, I wonder if it's hit and miss as to which comments are even looked at.

p.s. nice avatar

networkn

Networkn
32349 posts

Uber Geek

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Trusted

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#691546 26-Sep-2012 09:34

NZ Herald have never made bones about their commentary censorship, they don't want flame wars starting on their articles.

gzt

17104 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#691562 26-Sep-2012 10:17

I'm not a big reader of comments at the Herald but there is no shortage of anti-goverment comments appearing there. Can you point to the article in particular?

networkn: NZ Herald have never made bones about their commentary censorship, they don't want flame wars starting on their articles.

I have seen commenters on herald articles disagree with each other by name often enough so it cannot be a general policy against user interaction and disagreement.

Flame war is different and boring to everyone except flamers so it would not surprise me if they discouraged it. The OP does not appear to be a flamer.

I have not seen any detail revealed of the Herald moderation policy if there is one. Never seen them discuss it either. I googled but nothing obvious.

spacedog

482 posts

Ultimate Geek

#691572 26-Sep-2012 10:29

gzt: I'm not a big reader of comments at the Herald but there is no shortage of anti-goverment comments appearing there. Can you point to the article in particular?

networkn: NZ Herald have never made bones about their commentary censorship, they don't want flame wars starting on their articles.

I have seen commenters on herald articles disagree with each other by name often enough so it cannot be a general policy against user interaction and disagreement.

Flame war is different and boring to everyone except flamers so it would not surprise me if they discouraged it. The OP does not appear to be a flamer.

I have not seen any detail revealed of the Herald moderation policy if there is one. Never seen them discuss it either. I googled but nothing obvious.

I posted on this article yesterday afternoon when there were only 7 comments. This morning they approved an additional 13 to take it to 20.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10836403

gzt

17104 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#691619 26-Sep-2012 12:04

There are a lot of anti-govt party comments on that article maybe a majority.

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berry

61 posts

Master Geek

#691631 26-Sep-2012 12:30

Stuff.co.nz seems to do the same. I posted a comment criticizing the auckland council which never showed up. Unless I was just clumsy and did something wrong.