Digital Journal launches updated Comments plugin using Facebook(R) Platform

DigitalJournal.com one of only two Canadian media sites to serve as launch partner for updated Facebook comments plugin

TORONTO, March 1 /PRNewswire/ - Digital Journal today revealed a new social commenting section using Facebook Platform to let readers engage with articles, blogs and images across Digital Journal's entire news network using their Facebook account.

Digital Journal's integration of the updated Facebook Comments plugin comes on the heels of Facebook's announcement today that it has launched an update to its Comments plugin that makes it easier for readers to comment on publisher websites with their real identity, and share articles with friends. Digital Journal is one of two Canadian news outlets to work with Facebook on the plugin ahead of the launch.

"As a digital media network with contributors in 200 countries around the world, DigitalJournal.com offers a very unique social news experience for readers," said Chris Hogg, CEO of Digital Journal, Inc. "We're pushing the envelope and aiming to define what social news experiences should be all about. Facebook's new comments plugin offers readers a new and very powerful way to engage and communicate with one another."

Digital Journal readers will now see a Facebook Comments Box on the bottom of articles, blogs and images, allowing them to comment on articles using their Facebook account. The entire commenting system is powered by Facebook Platform and offers readers richer features to interact with their friends.

"The social layer is one of the deepest and most important parts of a modern media business," said Hogg, "The Facebook comments plugin is just one more way we're working to give readers the cutting-edge tools they need to engage with content in new ways."

Digital Journal today introduces the latest version of the Facebook comments plugin that will further customize the media experience at DigitalJournal.com. These features include:

Comment syndication:

Readers can comment on DigitalJournal.com and share the comment to their Facebook profile. When a friend responds within Facebook, that comment can also appear on DigitalJournal.com. Vice versa, when someone replies to a comment made on Digital Journal, a reader will also see it in their Facebook feed. This two-way integration allows comments and discussion to take place both within Facebook and on Digital Journal — the conversation will be syndicated to wherever readers are.

Sorting comments by relevance:

Comments are ranked based on a reader's social graph, meaning comments made by friends appear before strangers' discussions. This feature is designed to help readers find conversations more likely to interest them, with people they know.

Facebook Comments also show readers other relevant comments, including comments from friends of friends, comments that have received a large number of replies, or comments that have the most Likes.

Comment as a brand or company:

Readers who also manage a Facebook Page on behalf of a company can also comment as that Page. This enables people to comment as themselves or make a statement on behalf of a business, celebrity, government official and more. Comments made on behalf of a Page will also be shared back to the Page's Wall. This feature opens up great new potential for dialogue between brands and individuals.

Digital Journal is a Toronto-based global digital media news network operated by Digital Journal, Inc. a leader and pioneer in social news delivery with millions of readers. For more information, visit http://www.digitaljournal.com/

Facebook(R) is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

SOURCE Digital Journal Inc.