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Keep it #$%@!!*&#!$ nice

24/1/2020

22 Comments

 
Picture
By Catherine Watson, Editor

A NEW Year confession: I've been too slack.

I used to pride myself on the fact that comments posted by Bass Coast Post readers were constructive, courteous, intelligent, relevant, respectful. So unlike those in most other online forums. 

But I have to face facts. Our comments have gradually deteriorated. These days many are obnoxious and personal. Just like all the other publications.
​
​I don't like censoring other people's views, particularly those with views that are opposed to mine, but I should have taken more notice.


When I set up the Post in 2012, I wrote a kind of credo: the Post was to be a forum for informed discussion, a civil place where people could debate issues and ideas, rather than criticise personalities.  



The credo was a reaction to the personal attacks and vitriolic views that were published each week in the local newspapers.
 
I’m making a reluctant return to moderating and a degree of censorship.
 
The new editorial policy (which is actually the old editorial policy) is to encourage rational and courteous debate and a genuine exchange of information and opinions.
 
Anonymity is the biggest enabler of personal abuse. Abusive comments are almost always anonymous, often posted under a false name, sometimes under several false names to make it look like a groundswell of opinion rather than the views of a single person with a grudge. The Post has a few serial offenders. 

It’s the conversations that make the Post. I welcome the comments. But from here on, comments will only be published in the Post with a full name. Where writers decline to supply their full name, their comments will be deleted. That includes even favourable or innocuous comments, because otherwise it looks as though I'm censoring views with which I disagree. 
 
Where comments contain abuse, but otherwise have something relevant to add to a debate, they will be edited back to the substance.
 
We all know other people believe some crazy things. Calling them a #$%@!!!*&#$ idiot is probably not the right way to convince them of the error of their thinking.
COMMENTS
​Comments are welcome but personal abuse is not acceptable. Please keep comments brief and to the point. They may be edited if they are too long or "go off topic”. A genuine name and email address is required.
22 Comments
Tim Shannon
27/1/2020 12:20:46 pm

My repertoire of wise old sayings includes “give them an inch and they take a mile”, along with something about people in glass houses, and “if you have nothing nice to say it is best to say nothing”.
It would be appalling if your Post and all the energy that has gone into it was to be corrupted to ruin by a few bad apples.
Dear Catherine, stay the course !

Reply
Marjorie Scott
27/1/2020 12:35:58 pm

Thankyou Catherine for your journalistic experience and I support your decision to erase the personal criticism.
I appreciate the literature and variety of topics you attract to The Post.

Reply
Alison Ribush
27/1/2020 01:11:44 pm

Thank you for your perseverance and all the time you put into the Post. We always look forward to reading all the interesting articles and agree with your decision. Happy New Year Catherine.

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Michelle Graham
27/1/2020 02:15:54 pm

Enjoyed every article as usual. Keep up the great work!

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Kevin Chambers
27/1/2020 03:23:33 pm

Not living "down there:" anymore, but keep up the good work Catherine,Love reading the (constructive) comments on things happening in Bass Coast

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Jan Fleming
27/1/2020 03:35:00 pm

Love the Bass Coast Post.
Thank you Catherine.

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liane arno
27/1/2020 07:03:28 pm

Gorgeous Catherine!
Without you people like me would not have a voice - we would be less informed - we would not be able to share in a safe environment.
Bullies can be awfully devious - and so destructive - so thank you for not allowing them to have a voice.

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Lesley Bretherton
27/1/2020 07:28:07 pm

Good decision - i fully support you and thanks for doing such a great job on the Post

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Joy Button
28/1/2020 08:17:10 am

Thank you Catherine for gifting us the Bass Coast Post. Respect is vital and support your decision to stop abuse. Just love reading the articles in the Post and whilst you may not always agree with some views, one often gains knowledge of the reasons for differing views in the written article. Thank you for all that you do.

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ian Samuel
28/1/2020 10:07:02 am

I totally agree with Catherine and thank her for the outstanding development of a Post with principles
It is indeed unfortunate that journalism as an industry has deteriorated to sensationalism and distortion of the truth to the detriment of the profession.
Informed articles are the source of knowledge shared, with the Post leading in the dissemination of views and opinions without acrimony
Keep up the good work

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Lorrie Read
28/1/2020 04:03:32 pm

I agree, civil discussion is desperately needed at a time when we seem to becoming more polarised. But abusive retorts achieve nothing but further separation. Keep up the good work Catherine, I so enjoy the Post.

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Pamela Jacka
28/1/2020 04:46:42 pm

Catherine, whilst your intentions are admirable, beware! I used to subscribe to a large national newspaper that permitted what I called "vigorous" debate (which were, to be honest, horrific during the SSM debate) then belatedly decided that they needed moderation. I had several comments (favourable mostly) "rejected" and there was to be no discussing the reasons why. Other readers of the newspaper made similar observations. Eventually it appeared that the rejections were more personal than ethical, so I decided to pull the plug. There will be no political correctness in my house! It is yet another form of censorship.
Everyone views a topic differently, so I believe it would be quite difficult to be impartial and eventually what one considers offensive, others would not.

Reply
Catherine Watson, editor
29/1/2020 04:40:59 pm

Hi Pamela. I certainly don’t want to censor readers’ views. The more the merrier! However, the Post has picked up a few trolls along the way and I need to deal with them. The personal criticism and abuse are a diversion from genuine debate. They also deter others from entering the discussion. Let’s see how we go!

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Min Beaumont
1/2/2020 05:54:36 pm

I'm with you on this one Pamela, You cannot write about topics in Bass Coast Post in a joking, entertaining manner at the expense of people who are working so hard to save their own environment and are struggling with potential unbearable loss (Newhaven Skate Park article) and expect people who are so distraught and emotionally devastated about that topic that is being joked about and not expect a reaction that is pure raw emotion and spelling out nothing but raw facts. The truth hurts unfortunately and the truth should not be deleted or edited. If that raw emotion is taken out then its just not genuine or real and the writing lacks soul of the person who is hurting and who put their real feelings into words.

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KIM VENESS
1/2/2020 03:27:21 pm

I have so enjoyed reading bass coast post articles for many years, I would be disappointed if a few trolls ruined it for all.
Catherine, she's your baby & I fully support your editorial rights 💞

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Min Beaumont link
1/2/2020 05:12:41 pm

This kind of has to work both ways and what has happened to freedom of speech as a reply reaction to a writers actions, that's what you are after isn't it, a reaction?

Reply
Frank W Schooneveldt
2/2/2020 03:19:11 pm

I totally agree with your right to edit the Post Catherine as you see fit.
That’s your job.
I also totally agree in using reasoned arguments which are based on facts.
Emotional language does not fix the issues.

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Christopher Day
4/2/2020 11:59:52 am

I did send Catherine a direct note when i first read this article. But seeing there has been comment on Newhaven Skate park issue i woud like to add the following comment .
I know in comments on skate park there was someone who didn't put their name on response and in a follow up message they responded they didn't feel comfortable putting their name to their letter.
The local issues in Bass Coast Council area often are brought around by the way this Council and Councillors make their decisions is all over the place. If you can change councillors minds by sitting and staring at them doesn't say much about their decision making process. So dog owners pack meetings, those that want a skate park pack meetings and they both get want they want. Hardly the way for any council or business to run.
So when people get stirred up about issues that affect their lives they will respond with some passion but obviously shouldn't be abusive.

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Frank W Schooneveldt
4/2/2020 12:00:28 pm

Firstly, I must say I have always found Council staff very helpful and cooperative.
In business a great man taught me that you always start at the top and in the case of the Bass Coast that is the Mayor and CEO.

We are in the process of conducting a rate review as well as the 2020/2021 budget and forward estimates.. I am looking forward to these reviews and seeing what changes are being made in addressing the infrastructure issues in our Shire.
And secondly Christopher, perhaps you need to put your energy in looking at the big issues rather than Skate Parks and dog issues.

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Trevor Brown
4/2/2020 12:01:24 pm

Re. Catherine's posting I would like to say that I consider personal abuse and vitriol to be totally unacceptable and, in fact negative and counter productive. However when you have a council and councilors who treat the residents and ratepayers of the shire as mushrooms then it is reasonable to highlight these things. Time and time again the concerns of the residents are ignored. I won't list the instances as they are too many. However the abortive effort to place a skate park on the San Remo foreshore highlights this beautifully. The council, aided and abetted by their councilors chose not to inform the local residents of their decision until after its announcement. They then did all they could to bulldoze the project through. At some point after a great deal of time, effort and money it was realised that the skate could not be sited on the San Remo foreshore due to the amount of underground infrastructure that would have been put at risk. Council would have been aware of this problem prior to the above mentioned waste if someone had have done their job. Also this was one of the problems raised by local residents and ignored by council. Sadly this is a story that repeats itself all too regularly with this council

Reply
Julie Statkus
8/2/2020 04:31:08 pm

It seems timely that I write now to say just how much I enjoy reading
the Bass Coast Post. Catherine's wonderful tribute to Ricardo reminded
me of the first time I met him when I moved here over 20 years ago.
He was my first Bass Coast friend. Since then I have continuously met so
many more warm, talented people who contribute so much to this
community, several of whom are contributors to the Post. I enjoy
recommending the Post to new people who want an idea of what is
happening. You know how it is when you know something is fabulous and you just want to share it!
Thank you Cattherine and thank you Bass Coast Post.

Reply
CHRISTINE GRAYDEN
9/2/2020 12:10:52 pm

There are comments on this post that certainly break the rules under which I operate several organisations' popular Facebook pages. Our rules are: No personal attacking of others or name calling in the post or in the comments. No comments which do not pertain to the principles of whichever group's FB page it is, as clearly set out on their websites, e.g. constitutions and forward planning documents agreed to by the members. No swearing - even mild swearing - under any circumstances. There is so much vitriol on the internet these days and it is totally unhelpful. All it does is make people angrier, and in fact curtails rational debate. Catherine your readers may have 'ownership' of your wonderful website, but it is actually YOUR website, and you are perfectly entitled to make your rules, especially after several years of operation have taught you the hard way that some people seriously need to be given clear firm rules to abide by. It is a waste of your valuable time having to moderate everything, but stay firm and eventually everyone will get the message and all behave in a civilised manner.

Reply



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