I can't let the year end without writing at least once about the third rail of journalism in the digital age, online comments.

And we have good news: After years of experimentation, we believe we have struck on a potential solution for constructive, thoughtful conversations, without the mean-spirited sentiments that can pollute comment streams.

Making comments successful is important to us. No other platform exists where people can get together to discuss many of the subjects that get debated on cleveland.com. And, because our audience is so big and our content appeals to people on all sides of the political spectrum, we are about the only place in Northeast Ohio where you are likely to hear from people who are not of your political stripe.

Read the whole article here:  http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/12/might_we_have_a_potential_solu.html