The following appears at School District of Lancaster school board member Charlie Chrystle’s blog:
“Just now, the newspaper just took TalkBack offline. Here’s part of the message:
[LNP:] “ ‘Unfortunately, what began in 2000 as a good faith effort by Lancaster Newspapers to increase reader interest in community news, has provided a few individuals with a means to communicate hateful, abusive and unacceptable comments about their neighbors, area residents and the Lancaster community at large. While Lancaster Newspapers has installed strict user guidelines for TalkBack and invested in state-of-the-art computer software to address this matter, the blatant misuse of TalkBack continues and can no longer be tolerated. As a result, effective immediately, Lancaster Newspapers is removing TalkBack from LancasterOnline.com.’”
Crystle continues: “I don’t want to see the online community go away–that’s not what I was asking. I was asking for moderation by LNP, removing the comments from right next to the articles but providing a link to the forums, and for the community to step up and police itself better. I respect their decision, though.”\
Later in the afternoon, LNP posted an explanation for the cancellation on their web site.
Congrats Charlie. Way to ruin it for everybody.
“Respect their decision”? I don’t respect it at all. A newspaper suppressing the free exchange of thoughts and ideas? You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ll be canceling my subscription. I can’t in good faith pay a newspaper that would act in such an irresponsible manner.
LNP, undoubtedly cowed at the threat of lawsuits, caves in and removes their TalkBack forum. Congratulations, Charlie Crystle. Hope the voters of Lancaster remember you at election time — the only speech permitted in Lancaster is that which passes the Chief Censor, Charlie Crystle …
The paper would like nothing more than to scapegoat Crystal, but the truth is that they lacked to interest, resources, and professionalism to enforce their own terms of service.
If all it takes is a little criticism to get LNP to change their ways, then they would have shut down their entire operation years ago.
The handling of talkback is a reflection of the general mismanagement of Lancaster Newspaper. It also serves as an example of how and why the paper is doomed to fail.
There’s an old proverb (origin unknown) that says “be careful what you wish for lest you receive it.”
Charlie got his wish of shutting down voices that weren’t to his liking. JMO, but a mature and responsible adult would have first attempted to address his concerns privately with LOL. He certainly would have a voice with them that we regular citizens who are not known to the public would have. Instead, he chose to enter with both guns blazing which reflects badly on him and, by association, the school board.
I personally feel badly for those individuals I’m aware of who are shut ins and enjoyed reading and/or participating on TB. They’re now deprived of their online “family” that has seen them through some tough times. It reminds me of the crazy uncle who shows up at a family reunion and ruins it for everyone.
Charlie did not ruin it for everyone.
The posters who could not comment in a thread without hateful and bigoted language ruined it for everyone.
Charlie was only pointing out what many on the message board have been saying inside of the threads for a long time
Charlie did ruin it for everyone. He took his sob story and turned it into a vendetta against a few people who had opinions that he didn’t like, labeled them as “bigots” and tried to turn the screws on the newspaper to silence the voices he didn’t want to hear. He used his office as a soapbox to silence opposing opinions and destroy a valuable outlet for the voices of the community.
Talkback served as one of the only open forums available to everyone in the community. Without it, many voices of political opposition will be silenced, including those opposed to Crystal’s own unique form of political pushiness.
The end of TalkBack was inevitable. For the past several months, the tone on discussions on TalkBack had become increasingly intolerant and hostile – paralleling the political discussions in this country. Sooner or later, SOMETHING would have brought this situation to the attention of Lancaster Newspapers’ management, and the exact same thing would have happened.
Blaming Charlie Crystle ignores what was happening within TalkBack. If anyone is to blame, it should be the people who insisted on tearing down others who posted there.
I’m sure that LNP didn’t put the labor into TalkBack that it would have needed to keep it running because it did not generate enough advertising revenue. LNP needs to make money to survive, just like the rest of us.
It is interesting to note that Lancaster Newspapers did not shut down TalkBack when the discussions strongly attacked Lancaster Newspapers over issues like the hotel and convention center project, or the World War III headlines which belittled the County Commissioners. Freedom of speech was definitely not an issue then.
The ONLY reason TalkBack was shut down is the increasing amount of intolerance and hatred that was being expressed there.
“Without it, many voices of political opposition will be silenced, including those opposed to Crystal’s own unique form of political pushiness”
Could that have been a motivating factor to complain about Talkback, and the complaint about racism, just a smokescreen?
Thanks for the censorship Charlie. Wonder if it will impact LNP bottom line?
He tried arguing it wasn’t censorship. Let’s see you argue it now.
Oh wait, you can’t.
He ruined it all right, hopefuly it will be temporary, many other papers have pulled down their sites only to have them go back up after a few weeks—time to chat with a lawman or two, but they come back after popular demand.
Lancaster newspapers will go the way of the dodo bird. Newspapers are dying all of the country, because of the internet. Instead of embracing it, LNP is fearful of it. Way to give in.
For the Talkbackers who find their way here, it was a great pleasure “meeting” you over the last few months, and was looking forward to spending a lot more time “with” you (years more!)…missing you very much today (missing the great selection of emoticons on Talkback, too….would be using the saddest one right now! ). Sincere best wishes to you. Take care.
My subscription will be cancelled first thing in the morning. I will NOT be censored. I live in the USA NOT CHINA, IRAN, or RUSSIA. I will only re-subscribe if talkback is brought back.
Charlie DID ruin it for everybody!
Lean back and think about this.
Charlie Crystle is a white man, who was affected by what was said on Talk Back about Hispanics, blacks and other not white groups. Many of people of those groups made a complaint, but the site continued, Charlie makes a statement and the site is closed. Walla not rocket science here, white people need other people to point out when times need to change or when they have gone too far.
I am for TB, and for getting to the heart of what other people think about the stories in the news.
For as many times as LNP has had its balls busted for reporting half truths or plain old false information, I can’t believe they did not shut it down before.
TB is too real for some people. I would like to see it revived.
…With the SDoL contemplating what, another 15% tax increase, it seems awfully convenient that an open forum where people could present political opposition is shut down.
Local politicians have become increasingly blunt in pushing unpopular agendas despite broad based public opposition. What better way to stifle criticism (or at least limit its impact in the community) than working to shut down the forum where the criticism originates?
Remember this: in politics, NOTHING occurs in a vacuum.
And Randy, just because you don’t like what was said doesn’t mean it lacked validity.
“Could that have been a motivating factor to complain about Talkback, and the complaint about racism, just a smokescreen?”
Could it be that the people making the racist comments want to dodge responsibility and are now turning this into something different?
The people who posted the racism are the ones who killed TalkBack. You are the ones who ruined it for everyone. Good job.
I really had stopped posting and participating in Talkback starting in January because of the hostility, overt racism and bigotry, negativity, rudeness, personal attacks, and lack of intelligent discussion going on. Other posters whose opinions I found interesting had greatly reduced their posts, too. There really wasn’t much left of any real value.
And I’m not buying the free speech argument either because some of the most egregious transgressors managed to get non-offensive posters banned. I would be willing to participate in an open civil forum, but not one similar to what Talkback had devolved into.
The people who violated the TOS repeatedly “ruined it.” Charlie brought these violations to the attention of both the broader community and management.
One of the most interesting artifacts of this episode is that the people who violated the Terms Of Service, don’t seem to know that the TOS existed and that they were in violation.
There were clear terms of service that put limits on speech. People violated them. The forum is now closed.
This seems hard for some folks, particularly those who are going to punish LNP by canceling subscriptions and boycotting advertisers (take it a step further- since no responsible media outlet would tolerate what went on, buy only from businesses that don’t advertise anywhere. Good luck with that).
Not only do people seem not to accept that here were terms of service, and that they violated them, but some of the very people who violated them are incensed at the outcome of their own actions. And others are simply blaming someone who called attention to what was already going on.
It is neither censorship nor a violation of anyone’s right to free speech when a private entity removes a feature they voluntarily added to their website ten years ago. Please brush on the constitution a little bit before you start throwing those terms around or referring to the Soviet Union.
If you want to band together and start your own Lancaster Talkback website, no one is stopping you.
“Frankly, the quality of life in Lancaster continues to improve.” – Ricky Gray
Dedicated to our loving friend, Nicknack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Crystle
Oh…PPPPPFFFT..stop blaming Charlie. Talkback was a mess…and not a hot one either. Good riddance. Now get on with your lives.
Yes Charlie you messed it up for everyone. You touching story about confronting young Hispanic youths and blaming TB for their response is ….sooooooo lame and quite frankly a bit creepy.
Yes there was some bigotry but for the most part it was what political speech is suppost to be passionate and loud. So the editors have pulled it and now the they control the flow of ideas…nice going guys…
Another explanation might be that more often than not, TB’ers would post information that LNP wouldn’t. Kind of embarrasing for a newspaper to be scooped by it’s readers. For example. LNP has a vested interest in the convention center. Yet one could only read about the sleezy goings on from Artie See’s posts.
Mayor Rick Gray is one of the most secretive politicians Lancaster has ever had. His cheerleading relationship with Dale S. High/convention center may have clouded the responsibility the city’s ony newspaper had when it came to reporting and gathering news. In spite of crime going up, LNP never pushed Gray on it. The only critisisms of Mayor Gray came from TB’ers.