Second-guessing washingtonpost.com's Jim Brady

Jim Brady's decision to shut off comments on the "post.blog" is being second-guessed all over the Web, and I suppose I should join in ... after first acknowledging Jay Rosen's typically excellent, thoughtful essay on the subject that includes an interview with Brady. Read it before you read anything I have to say.

Brady's move is bound to be misinterpreted by many and intentionally twisted by some: big media vs. the people, Republicans vs. Democrats, whatever.

That already was apparent earlier this week when Typepad had a hiccup that temporarily hid a number of comments. Mere anger quickly turned to fury. People assumed the newspaper had intentionally deleted critical comments.

It was so bad that one poster referred to it as a "prison riot."

Yes, it was out of control. Yes, people were attacking reader rep Deborah Howell personally. But so what? When Deborah Howell was editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, she was nicknamed "Dragon Lady." She's a tough woman and she can stand the flames.

We "big media" folks have to take the heat, both personally and institutionally, even if we think it's craziness. So I don't think I would have shut this one down.

But that doesn't mean I think newspapers should never put the clamp on online behavior. I have no tolerance, zero, for members flaming each other. And if an interactive environment turns into a slum, I wouldn't hesitate to bulldoze it ... and build a new, better place.

Howard Owens did it last year when he was at the Ventura Star. Leah Gentry did it several years ago at the Los Angeles Times. We've had to do it at some of the Morris papers. Those of us who are believe in online interaction hold those beliefs because they serve a higher goal of supporting a fair and open participative society. If that higher goal isn't being met, we have an obligation to intercede.

The real test isn't what Brady faced this week. He made the call and it's done. The hard part is constructing a path forward in which the newspaper is open and approachable, but there are mechanisms in place that lead to responsible behavior on the part of those doing the approaching.