Finishing the Unfinished Story Online Newspaper discussion threads as journalistic text. 6

ABSTRACT : Discussion threads published beneath articles on news websites have only lately become the subject of serious scholarship. While early research preoccupied itself with the hostile nature of comments posted on such forums, and the issue of moderation, recent studies have focused on two interlocking questions: the extent to which professional news organizations, and the journalists they employ are buying into the value of encouraging audience-members to comment on their articles and how succesfully (or not) news-makers are using threads to forge virtual communities. While the purpose of constructing such communities has largely been viewed through a utlitarian prism-as a means of drawing in trafficc, building brand loyalty and generating income-consideration has also been given to threads as vechicles for empowering citizens, by allowing them to debate and /or contest the authority of professionally written news texts and /or establishment narratives. This article aims to go further, by building on an emerging stand of research which conceives of discussion posts less as adjuncts, or mere responses, to journalists articles than extensions of them. It argues that the most valuable evidenced-based posts add background detail, colour and context that can greatly enhance-and help make complete -otherwise unfinished stories. 56

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