FT to open up leader column to readers

The Financial Times is opening up its leader column online to readers, as part of a push for more interactivity on the site, its editor has said.

Using a new blog, Arena, the title's editors will select topics for forthcoming leaders and post entries, while asking readers for their comments.

The best reader comments will be republished as individual posts, Robert Shrimsley told Journalism.co.uk.

Billed as an 'online editorial conference', the first subject up for debate is: should the return of high taxes be a temporary measure?

On May 4, the debate on the blog will be reviewed and responded to by the FT's journalists, in both the print and online leader section.

"The debate will be a combination of journalists and readers' input. We have a highly intelligent and informed readership," said Shrimsley.

"We are quite serious about wanting readers to inform this debate and have deliberately picked a subject where there are mixed opinions."

Opening up the debate around leader issues that is often conducted behind-the-scenes, and via email with journalists, has long been an aim, as has increasing interactivity across FT.com, added Shrimsley.

More Arena debates could be planned after the initial trial, said Shrimsley, who added that the process would be reviewed and that it is important for news organisations not to get over excited by new technologies and formats.

Last week the title experimented with liveblogging outside of on its Alphaville blog, where it is used to report on the markets, as part of its budget coverage.

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