Reportr.net

One of the questions that news editors often raise about user-generated content is whether passive ‘readers’ want to be active ‘producers’, and whether anyone reads this stuff.

New figures from the BBC suggest that the answer is as simple as yes or no. Its Have Your Say section received record page views in January of 12 million, according to interactivity editor Vicky Taylor. But at the same time, the BBC only has just under 200,000 registered users, out of its audience of millions.

One factor could be frustration from readers who submit comments that never see the light of day. BBCNews.com has tried to allay these concerns by adding to each Have Your Say page the number of published, rejected and queued comments.

Taylor said the BBC now publishes 49% of messages received, up from around 25% from a couple of years ago. But when a big event happens, like the shootings at Virginia Tech, it is inundated with material and staff cannot cope.