Slate has an interesting article about how newspapers in the 1700’s routinely left extra space for readers to leave comments and notes, as well as add their own items:
These amendments weren’t aimless jottings, either. Newspapers were routinely shared after purchase, and the notes readers added in the spaces and margins were designed to edify the friend or acquaintance the reader next forwarded his paper to.
It’s like comments as well as citizen journalism all through a very early medium with a limited audience.
