[pbiggar]

We feel the exchange is that journalists serve their communities, and the communities help them earn a living. Using the comments off site helps that goal.

> And what effect might this have on the people willing to comment?

You incorrectly (to my mind) assume that this is a major problem for most people. I think there won't be any effect. People don't read T&Cs, though we make it explicit in them that we do this.

This isn't like Facebook changing their T&Cs. This is publicly posted information, not private correspondence between friends. That would be very different.

> Comments add value to a site, making it attractive to advertisers. That's the exchange.

That's not the exchange, just your perception of it.