Rochdale Online - News comments?

Hi just noticed that you cannot comment about an article on ROL, how long ago was this stopped?

I didn't know it had been!  However the greatest consolation you have is knowing that here on Rochdale Talk you will at least get a fair shake of the shilling. 

I noticed it last week some time. Shame really as I always enjoy reading them. Perhaps it's down to danger of libel and the resultant claims that come in.

As Atlas says, we've still got this forum though, with no assets so perhaps less danger of being sued? Wouldn't like to test that one though!

Libel is a legal minefield but, generally speaking, posters are personally responsible for their posts not the ISP. However, many posters are very naive and legally incorrect when they think that by wrapping up lies about individuals as 'personal opinion', this is free speech and not defamatory.

It is not defamatory to state that you think that the council is a shambles. However, if you say that a named councillor is corrupt and untrustworthy and you believe he/she is a crook but try to say that this is merely your personal opinion, you'd better have deep pockets. Sue, Grabbite and Runne will be onto you like s*** off the proverbial shovel.

There are lots of other legal constraints.You are entitled to hold strong views about immigration, but if you frame these in such a way that they constitute incitement to racial hatred, your supposed entitlement to voice your opinions will not get you very far in court.

Always best to err well on the side of caution. We do not and never have had the right to free speech. Read Geoffrey Robertson ' Media Law' for more insights.

Atlas wrote:


I didn't know it had been!  However the greatest consolation you have is knowing that here on Rochdale Talk you will at least get a fair shake of the shilling. 

Yep along with more allocation of letters!

Over on RO you were limited to 500 charecters!

Still on here we can post and dicuss with out being labelled with the buzzwords like 'negative' on the numerous FB pages. So gives me a breather from being targetted!   

It is easy to label posts and posters as negative, but it is also just as easy to be negative. I do get fed up when I read something I feel is good news only to scroll down and see critical comments, often referencing something else that has little to do with the subject, but which is being used as 'evidence' that, for instance, the council is rubbish so the little bit of goods news can be ignored.

I thing that there is a world of difference between negativity and criticism. Criticism is usually an essential prerequisite to being constructive. A simple fact but one often missed by those who interpret anything other than gushing praise and adulation as negativity.

Negativity usually comprises of endless moaning from people who lack real critical or analytical skills who seldom, if ever, propose solutions.

The Facebook pages on Rochdale are full of those who see negativity in anyone questioning the status quo.

For example a few comments were levelled at me for simply discussing the type of railings that should adorn the tops of the walls on the new river opening.

Yep fully agree Hinch.

Got my name in pixels !!!

I'm not sure that ROL are doing themselves any favours at all by restricting characters and now removing comments. I remember it starting up with the forum (although I was a later joiner) and it was only through its avenue for discussion that I went on the site at all. It's the start of slippery slopes (ref Roch Ob) when free comment are removed or selective comments are only printed.

It's in danger of becoming part of the 'Establishment'. Oh dearie dearie me -    

Yes, I was the same. Started on the forum and then went to the news sections from there.