If you can’t say something nice: Late on the afternoon of October 19, MaineToday Media CEO Richard Connor posted a notice on the Web sites of his three daily papers — the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel — announcing they would no longer accept online comments on stories.

A servant of two masters: A couple of interesting threads to follow up on as a result of last week’s posting on the problems the Maine Today Media newspapers — in particular, the Portland Press Herald — had in reporting on polls done for itself and others.

Under-correcting the over-sampling: On October 14, the Portland Press Herald ran a short correction on page A2. It said, “News stories on Page A1 Sunday and B5 Wednesday about an election poll conducted by the Maine Center for Public Opinion contained incorrect information about how it was conducted. The poll did not over-sample Republicans.”

Why bother? The Bangor Daily News knows how to report on big political races. The paper has traditionally hired solid staff writers for the beat — Kevin Miller is the latest in a distinguished pedigree that’s included the likes of A.J.

In spite of the weather kids: For the first time, the average daily circulation of the Portland Press Herald has dropped below 50,00 copies, according to the paper’s Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation published in the October 8 edition. For the year just past, the Press Herald sold an average of 49,066 papers each day, down from the 60,148 listed in last year’s statement.

That represents an 18.4 percent decline.

Same-sex cluelessness: On October 5, the Morning Sentinel had a front-page story by staff writer Doug Harlow on some unusual campaign fliers being distributed in Skowhegan. The fliers pointed out that incumbent Democratic state Rep. Jeffrey McCabe supported legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine, while his Republican opponent, Brian Hale, opposed that move.

Down-bound: The Maine Sunday Telegram is shedding readers at an unprecedented pace. According to its annual Statement of Ownership and Circulation filed with the U.S. Postal Service and published in the October 3 edition, the Telegram, which once boasted weekly sales well in excess of 125,000 copies, is down to a paid circulation of less than 75,000.

When you’re running for governor, whatever you say in public places or in front of cameras and microphones is on the record.

No exceptions.

No excuses.

No whining.

Past deadline: Brunswick Publishing, the company that owns the Times Record afternoon daily paper, has failed to make its last two property tax payments to the town of Brunswick. As a result the town has placed a lien on BP’s property.

Flying high: Until now, I haven’t been that impressed with the Maine Watchdog Web site.