What with us celebrating our second birthday this week it’s got us thinking how much our readership has grown this year. So ta, you lot!
Moreover, we’re really chuffed that in our vibrant comments sections most contributors are opinionated and passionate, but largely respectful. People know and love the fact that our area has a broad demographic mix, and generally this makes for a good discussion. And we hope the investment most of us have in our sense of community and geography means that the site will – and should – never degenerate into the bloody battlefields of the Mail and the Guardian.
But we’re sure that many readers will agree one of the least attractive characteristics of digital media is how it encourages aggression. We all now have the ability to broadcast our thoughts to the world – an incredibly powerful thing – so why are some folk so negative or indeed vicious? Why does the anonymity of sitting behind a screen cause some individuals to put aside all social etiquette?
It’s a sign of engagement that people forget that they are not having a conversation in a pub, their range of fruity vocabulary and lifetime of unresolved issues in full throttle. But everything anyone writes online (or tweets) is publishing. And therefore some degree of self-editing is required, isn’t it?
The recent furore over the likes of George Monbiot and Sally Berkow making ill-advised and wholly unfounded paedophile tweets about Lord McAlpine is potentially a turning point. It may well become a libel action with the largest number of defendants in British legal history, once all the retweeters and gossip mongers are inevitably served with legal letters.
Much like criminals, whose actions make our lives less pleasant by forcing ever more complicated multiple passwords and security questions upon us, those who persist in potentially libellous commenting risk the adoption of even more tracking. A nightmarish end result? Enforced single online identity for all.
Now let’s move on to our experience writing about certain local independent businesses. The value of feedback is hugely important to all concerned, but we hope there’s no scientific correlation between the comments some readers leave and the fate of the businesses in question. One such case that got us thinking is the recent news that Harry’s Fine Foods is on the market . We have to say we were surprised by the casual negativity shown towards the store back in the summer when food writer Richard Ehrlich wrote a Why It Matters column on its importance to the community.
Elsewhere, readers may remember we reviewed Pane Vino positively earlier in the year. It’s long been a favourite of ours, but dozens pointed out experiences of poor service or high prices which, rightly or wrongly, made owner Stefania consider selling the restaurant this summer (to a firm of ‘kebab shops’, she told us). What stopped her? She finally felt she couldn’t let it go. Yes, Pane Vino is ‘expensive’, but surely its survival is more desirable than a soulless chain or fast-food joint.
Take one final example. When we reviewed Farmer Tom’s new kitchen at the Abbey in September, some of the negativity seemed a little hasty, considering the venture was so young. On an unannounced visit we had been impressed by the quality of meat and passion of all involved. But many of the comments seemed to question what is an enterprising operation in a pub that needs to be compete with the rash of new openings in town.
Is there a conclusion to all this? We know that everyone has the right to an opinion and discussion is what makes the Kentishtowner a right rounded read. But is it worth us all spending a second thinking about the power our voices can have? Yes, most comments are probably left as attempts at constructiveness, but as we know in any missive, tone can appear harsher than intended. The point – both good and bad – is that as a hyperlocal publication the power of comments is strengthened and more keenly felt by readers and businesses. We all have a certain responsibility.
All, we hope, worth considering as we celebrate the good things: our brilliantly engaged audience, a landmark second year for the Kentishtowner, and an exciting juncture in Kentish Town’s history.
(And don’t forget you can always show how much you care (or otherwise) by voting in the 2012 Awards. The deadline closes this sunday.)
19 thoughts on “Why It Matters: The Power of Reader Comments”
Penny Arcade summed up the general commenters behaviour pretty well 8 years ago now: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
I don’t feel that it applies to most of the commenters I read on this site, many of whom are merely stating their honest opinion of local places they’ve visited.
Harry is leaving? That’s a disaster! Does anyone know if the sale means that another butcher can take it over, or is the dreaded spectre of Starbucks looming over the High St?
A good piece and it’s definitely worth considering your points. One thing I would say is that although in general I find Kentishtowner to be a great site, I do find most of the reviews positive and in a way that’s not very helpful, so any negative comments can sometimes be more informative. Overall the site has a friendly feel to it, so I don’t feel that anyone is going out of there way to be nasty in the way they might be in Youtube or Mailonline comments.
One of the hardest things in hyperlocal journalism is going to be the risk of getting too close to the people you are writing about and worrying about upsetting them/causing them trouble. You (and/or those you are reviewing) are probably going to have to grow a thick skin unless you want to do your readers a disservice.
Hi Neil,
Great points too. Glad you think the site is friendly. If you read the reviews section we try and be honest in our criticisms without (to our knowledge) being overtly positive. Plenty of places have got a 6 or 7 out of 10 – and their various shortcomings pointed out.
You could argue that any niche or specialist publication is ‘too close’ to the movers and shakers; however part of our NESTA funding is to explore how hyperlocal media and business can work together. Which is one of the reasons we wanted to run such a piece to get readers’ feedback.
Our skins are suitably woolly, don’t fear, but that wasn’t quite the point in this instance (we’ll let the businesses respond for themselves if they wish!) Hopefully we won’t be doing anyone a disservice, now or in the future.
Here at The Abbey we read Kentishtowner on a daily basis. Whilst we don’t comment too often ourselves we do take on board all comments regarding our venue, both the positive & the negative as they help us grow as a pub and as part of the community, (which we love).
Farmer Tom’s Kitchen has indeed found its feet and is going from strength to strength, and that is in part due to how Tom engages with our customers both online & in person.
Try it. Tweet him. @farmertomjones
Just tweeted Harry and he said: “Thanks for your concern but that story is inaccurate. Don’t know why the ad is there. We’re alive and kicking!” …. so…..where did the story come from? Do you guys know something Harry doesn’t?
I love this site – being positive is rare these days – if you have a criticism you can just e mail somebody one to one unless they really deserve a bashing – I think Harry’s used to be a fish shop run by a teddy boy couple with an austin metropolitan
A teddy boy couple?
Are you referring to Mr. and Mrs. Carter who ran the family fishmongers there (established some time in the 19th century, I think) many years ago.
They were hardly teddy boys and the shop didn’t smell, as it certainly does now.
Despite the denials, it appears that it’s still listed as being up for sale, something I first pointed out in September:
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/property/london/kentish-town-road-nw5/nw5-2aa/#expired
“ill-advised paedophile tweets about Lord McAlpine”. I would recommend “ill-advised and wholly unfounded paedophile tweets about Lord McAlpine”
Yup you’re absolutely right Martin. All tweaked!
Positive or negative review, why it really matters is because half of the time, I wouldn’t know they existed without the kentishtowner. In what other community do the independent businesses benefit from such a platform? Keep anything up, just keep our community spirit alive please!
Interesting piece, but I’m worried by the suggestion that a few negative readers comments may somehow be the catalyst for local businesses considering their future in Kentish Town (I actually really like all three of Harry’s, Pane Vino, and Farmer Tom’s kitchen, so definitely hope they stay). I would also imagine, however – and perhaps particularly in the case of Pane Vino – that competition from extremely well backed places moving into the area, such as Pizza East (which has received a large amount of positive publicity on this site) is also placing a strain on business.
Naz
Negative comments are a fact of life: we’re far too long in the tooth not to accept that. It’s also entirely healthy to have a multitude of viewpoints on a site. This is a simple think piece on exercising responsibility online, that’s all. Incidentally, most businesses that we speak to have reported that they are far busier since the opening of the Soho House outlets as it’s brought more people to the area.
I was one of the people who commented on the poor service at Pane e Vino. Does that mean I would be responsible if the owner decided to sell? I don’t think so. Feedback is a risky business in that people don’t always like what they hear – but there is a big difference between mindless negativity (which is not generally what I see on this site) and comments from local customers who have experienced repeated poor service from local businesses. Most successful businesses, big or small, actively seek feedback so they can improve what they offer. The fact that the business owners mentoned here have considered selling up rather than addressing the issues raised may say more about them than those who have commented
Alison, thanks for commenting both now and about the original Pane Vino article. The tone of this piece is not about finger-pointing so much as getting people simply to stop and think before commenting. Of course no single factor is responsible in any situation. And yes, all feedback is good for everyone, and every business; in the case of Pane Vino we are pretty sure it was all taken on board and their service, in particular, is much improved.
So if the end result of everyone’s comments is positive, then that’s a good thing, right? But what happens if a business has addressed all the issues and turned itself around – but its reputation is stained by the negative comments which remain online? Just a thought. (Of course this stands for all content online, including our own reviews, and others).
Guess we’re not suggesting any resolutions here – just posing questions to consider.
Our high street did recently get a new kebab shop – Mono’s – and what a fab addition it is; a tasty meal for £3.99 plus consistently efficient and friendly service.
I’ve read the Pane Vino review and honestly the comments to my mind are constructive, with a couple of readers offering helpful suggestions. This is the most responsible action your readers could take, and where the real power in your readers’ comments is. It’s far better for a business to be aware of any problems while they can do something about it rather than watch their customer base dwindle and have no idea why.
Maybe the most responsible thing Kentishtowner could do is another review in about 6 months, but send along a person(s) unknown to the owner. If they don’t have a good experience then perhaps the restaurant’s lifecycle has simply come to an end. In which case the owner could be responsible and sell to another independent. (I’ve only singled out Pane Vino here because it’s mentioned a fair bit in this article.)
Patronage isn’t a by-product of being an independent on the high street as opposed to an insipid chain. Our high streets need fresh and inspiring businesses where we’re happy to keep parting with our hard earned cash in exchange for a satisfying, enjoyable experience.
Elizabeth,
Yes good idea, why not? And if you’re volunteering, the review is all yours.
Users should take responsibility for comments they make online. As the author suggests, we’re not having a conversation down the local pub – but those conversations do and are happening – about local businesses, people & the gentrification of the area. From what I’ve read though the criticism of local businesses on this website, hasn’t descended into abuse. Far from it. It seems reflective.
Very interesting points in both the article and comments. I find myself in a similar position on West Hampstead Life and more so on @WHampstead on Twitter where it’s even easier for people to be negative. I’ve certainly run into some grumpy business owners who felt they were getting a raw deal. I am very aware of the responsibility and amplification effect of what I say/Retweet etc., but I try to gauge the general mood when it comes to comments on, e.g,, a restaurant. So if 9/10 people like it I’m probably not going to RT the one bad comment – everyone has an off day. But if the comments on somewhere are consistently negative then yes, I’m likely to communicate that – it should be a wake-up call for the business to buck its ideas up, especially if that negative feedback is consistently about one or two aspects of the business. I certainly aim to be balanced in any longer review I write and, like KT, often find that those 6s and 7s come out more than than the 9s and 10s.
An interesting side-point here is that some people indiscriminately defend independent businesses, even if they are terrible. Like many in my area, I like having independent businesses but I’d rather have a well-run chain offering a good service than a badly run independent that adds little to the charm of the area and may even put people off. Thankfully, the vast majority of independent operations in WH are excellent and provide an offering the chains rarely manage to match.