Nothing goes against the grain of a traditional journalist than an unattributed source or comment. Long before we begin work on our first story, we are trained to get as many real people into our stories as possible given the subject and time constraints presented.
And the one thing that all real people have is a name.
That's why when I took over the job as online editor - even on an interim basis before tackling it full time - it was a tough pill to swallow when we launched our Rapid Reply feature. The story blogging feature would allow readers to comment on almost any story on our Web site without any restrictions and without having to leave any form of identification. When it comes to the comments posted along with stories, the only tool we have is the ability to prevent posts from going up or letting them pass through, based largely on whether there was foul language, attacks or unsubstantiated claims contained within.
Before we launched the feature on Jan. 9, 2007, we were given the clear orders: The blogs were the readers, not ours. No editing. No need for identities. No place for traditional journalism.
We figured it would be popular. We just didn't know how popular. The readers came in droves, using the forums to speak their minds like they had never before. And yes, there were plenty of posts that contained the aforementioned foul language, attacks and unsubstantiated claims that we had to sideline. But as a whole, the amount of comments that passed muster dwarfed the number of reader comments via letter, phone or e-mail that we had ever received at any given point in the past.
Traditional journalism was left behind that day nearly two years ago, and where it's headed, nobody knows. But here's a quick look back at the five stories that generated the most comments in those 23 months of Rapid Reply.
5. McCain chooses Alaska governor as running mate
You want proof that Sarah Palin's pick as John McCain energized the presidential candidate's campaign? OK, there were surely some more visceral and universal barometers than Rapid Reply, but within 15 minutes after posting the story on www.rapidcityjournal.com, the story had 10 comments. And it wasn't like it was during Web prime time (which, by the way, is between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. each morning).
Of course, Palin brings out an equal response from her opponents, who showed up in at lest equal if not bigger numbers than those of her proponents during the most recent election.
Regardless, it shows that Palin is a polarizing figure who quickly captured the election stage for good or for bad. And who knows? She may just be the Rapid Reply gift that keeps on giving.
4. Couple has message to noisy bikers - stay away
The Journal Web site gets more traffic during the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally than at any other time during the year - by a long shot.
So it's no surprise that there's at least one story on here from the rally. And the story that most caught the imagination the readers during the rally was of a Hill City area woman whose distaste for the rally spilled over to posting yards in her front yard during the event advising the leatherclads to go home.
Needless to say, bikers spent the next month or so - you know, after they returned home and read online about the rally they just attended - to share their views of the one woman stand in the Central Hills.
3. Lakota group secedes from U.S.
Throw up a story about Russell Means up on the Web, and it is sure to plenty of page views and plenty of comments. Post a story about Russell Means saying he is leading an effort in Indian Country to secede from the United States, and you're going to see an avalanche of readership willing to share their views on the lightning rod of a public figure.
Means, who made is announcement of a "unilateral withdrawal" from the United States 11 months ago, sparked a firestorm of comments when he said that not only was his group calling for a recognition of the 1851 and 1868 treaties but that he would file liens on property in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming.
Oddly enough, the story picked up as much play internationally as nationally as the foreign in talking Journal reporter Bill Harlan to get some more inside dirt on the developing story asked him, "So, now what are you going to do?"
Needless to say, little has changed since Means launched the now "Land of Lakotah" movement, except that there have been a whole lot more Rapid Replies logged on the subject.
2. Cabela's incentives discussed during forum
From the international to the intensely local, the Cabela's issue festered like few others during the 2007 election cycle.
Former Mayor Jim Shaw had announced the deal long before the Sept. 18, 2007, special election on whether to allow a land transfer to the popular outdoors retailer, but the issue wound up like a top leading up to the citywide vote. (Editor's Note: This column has been edited from its original form to correctly state that the citywide vote was on the land transfer, not on whether to approve the tax increment finance district.)
The issue of tax increment finance districts, public support of businesses and claims of insider deals done on the taxpayer dime flooded this story and others like it.
In the end, voters overwhelmingly approved the deal, and Cabela's put up a store. But before it was sent and approved by the voters, few stories created more controversy than the Cabela's story.
1. State looks to pull anti-Bush license plate
It is disappointing that a database error has erased the more than 600 comments that used to accompany this story, but it caught readers' imagination like few others. Published in May of 2007, the story ignited a firestorm of comments in the heart of the reddest of red states and brought in comments from all around the world.
In the short term, the state looked to do away with the personalized license plates altogether. But that failed, and as W's popularity sank like a brick in the Missouri River, the story eventually fizzled out. But not before becoming garnering the most Rapid Replies ever.
