The Daily Beast (Credit: Daily Beast/Facebook)

The Daily Beast is getting rid of online comments, it announced last month.

Part of the reason, the Daily Beast explained, is because readers can instead use social media for the same purpose.

“As of today, we will be removing the commenting function off our site,” the Daily Beast said in a post on Aug. 19.

“Like many of our fellow publications, we have noticed that the conversation around our articles is increasingly happening on social networks, not in the commenting section. More and more of you are reaching out directly to our authors to engage in lively and considered back-and-forth on Twitter, Facebook and other channels. We are hoping this decision will encourage and amplify more of this conversation.

“Now, this doesn’t mean that commenting is gone forever: We are looking at multiple ways to bring you an upgraded commenting experience and would value your feedback at tech@thedailybeast.com.”

CNN noted last year that tech blog Re/code, Reuters, Popular Science and the Chicago Sun-Times ended comments sections too.

Meanwhile, in Salt Lake City, there’s an update on the suspension of Art Raymond, a spokesperson for the mayor, Ralph Becker. As iMediaEthics previously reported, Raymond was suspended this summer after the Salt Lake Tribune outed him as behind anonymous commenter “WhiskeyPete” who defended the mayor in some online comments during work hours. Raymond said he posted the comments on work breaks. The mayor’s office said it was unaware of his online commenting. Raymond is no longer the official Becker assistant communications director and instead will be “communications and content manager,” with a paycut of $3,000 a year and a six-month probation, Salt Lake City’s KSL and the Salt Lake Tribune reported in mid-August.

Hat Tip: Brian Ries