Gregory's ServerYou might ask how this is journalistic. Well, the first obligation of journalism is not to producing the commodity we call content but instead to serving the health of public discourse. I mean my suggestions as a tangible means of demonstrating that. Is there work? Yes. Is there risk? Yes. The greater risk is not to engage with the communities we serve, not to listen.
Another reason for newspapers, profession/trade organizations, and other well-funded institutions to run servers is to share the load in a federated/distributed ecosystem. The burden--work, cost, risk, liability, responsibility--of this federated conversation we're having right now falls mostly on *volunteers.* Newspapers, magazines, unions, and others need to do their share for their constituents benefit. Besides, newspapers should be fostering conversation as mission.