Today we introduce a new approach to online commenting. As we continue to add more benefits to our subscription offerings, the ability to participate in online discussions on CentralMaine.com will be for subscribers-only.

Different from ubiquitous tools like “email to a friend” or social sharing, commenting won’t be a de facto feature on every story. Instead, we intend to use the commenting tool less frequently but with more depth where journalists can participate directly in the discussion or we can share additional insight into the reporting process. We are looking to create a higher level of engagement and reduce the volume of unproductive comments (often from people who clearly haven’t read the article).

If you’d like to be part of our online community and you’re not a subscriber of the Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal or CentralMaine.com, we have a special offer for you. And remember, we always welcome everyone’s feedback on our journalism through the original commenting platform, “Letters to the Editor.”

To learn more about this change, please read our FAQs.