Fantastic experiment — sort of.

The Tacoma News Tribune is offering reader comments on their stories, just as if they were blog entries. Through Haloscan, even.

Yesterday I visited the TNT site to read a story that they wrote — with access to a 300-odd page legal filing in another county that I didn't have access to (on deadline, too far and Thurston County charges what I would call a freedom of information-stifling $.50 per page copy of its documents in county court. I mean, that's MORE than the cost of paper, electricity and toner for what is PUBLIC information. Spending $150 bucks is out of the my paper's budget for what amounts to what is now a minimal story).

So there were three comments that were left anonymously that basically mocked the way the state handles its finances. Nothing out of the ordinary for a typical blog entry on a typical popular site. I believe the comments centered on how TNC (the Bechtel-Kiewit company that has been hired to build the bridge by the transportation dept.) gets to pocket the difference for what its subcontractor can save them but my memory does not serve me well.

At any rate, though flip, the comments were quite stinging. And brought up some good points. And now they are gone into the ether. I'm not sure why this is so.

The Seattle PI also encourages comments but only on its blog stories. Which so far are all A&E stuff.

Anyway, I think it's a fantastic experiment. Sort of. With comments, you kinda have to keep them on if they aren't klantastic or you risk losing your credibility. I wish the Gateway would do something similar. It's a lot of fun to read what people will only say anonymously, because even though 1/2 of it is claptrap, some of it is the honesty of paranoids and more of it is the reflection of regular people.