[dcotter]

If their ranking algorithm is pushing reviews with high page-views to the top, then perhaps it's as simple as negative reviews getting more attention, either because negativity draws people in or because people are more interested in trying not to have an awful experience than in having a great one. On the other hand, if the algorithm is optimized around other values (credibility, for instance), then it wouldn't make sense for reviewers with no history to get their reviews pushed to the top. Hard to say, given that it's a trade secret.