Ernest Comer III

Ernest Comer III: President, PRISM, University of Minnesota—"Ernest Comer III is the president of PRISM at the University of Minnesota and a senior at the University of Minnesota. He’s working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in Communication Studies and a minor in African and African American Studies. He is developing a state chapter of the Stop the Violence movement. Ernest has been an adolescent mentor in the Pediatrics Department at the U and has hosted local television and radio shows to showcase young talent."

How did you get involved in the community? Were you asked to join by editors at the Star Tribune, or was there some kind of application process?
My involvement in the community comes through living in the community. When I moved to MN we stayed with my grandmother and I met people at school and got to know the people who lived near me and the things they had going on so I just got involved what they were doing. The StarTrib reached out to me because they got my name from a staff member there. Sometimes its not what you know or who you know but who knows you..

Do you get paid to post? How often do you post?
The expectation is that I post weekly but I don’t get paid. The incentive is the opportunity to get my voice heard.

Are you given specific topics to blog about?
Every once in a while they’ll send me an email asking that I post on a particular topic. But usually my topic is from the top of my head.

What do you think are the benefits of posting?
Publicity, name recognition, and fun.

Do you blog outside of the Your Voices blog? If not, why did you want to join this blogging community?
No I don’t. I decided to join because it was something new. I looked at it like starting a diary of sorts. Something I could look back on and see how my thinking develops.

Do you think there are any professional conflicts to your posting? In other words, do you think the views expressed in your posts should be seen separately from the views of your employer? Why or why not? Do you think readers can differentiate between the two views?
There might be. The StarTrib has no control over what I decide to post. I could use foul language and disgusting innuendo without regard to how the Trib might react. Out of respect and appreciation for the opportunity I don’t do those things. I feel that I could critique the Trib in a post and the only backlash might be from people who comment on the post.

Do your posts get edited by someone at the Star Tribune?
When they ask us to post on a particular topic they usually have someone do a little editing other than that I don’t believe so.

I saw that the comments are moderated. Do you think more people would post comments if they weren't approved before being published?
Yes. There is always more incentive to speak when you know you won’t be censored.

Do you see the community as an important addition to traditional journalism/newspapers?
Yes! There’s a need for involvement. People have to know what’s going on. Media have to know what people want to know. Otherwise newscasters and journalists just talk about whatever’s on their minds.

What do you think makes you unique from the other bloggers?
I’m me. I bring my own experiences and beliefs to the table just like everyone else who blogs. No two people ever have the same thing to say about anything. They might pretend they do but there is always something each individual can add or change about what is to be said on any given subject.

(bio, photo courtesy Star Tribune)