Better Newspaper Web Sites

As an “ink-stained [newspaper] wretch” and Internet disciple, I'm fascinated by the struggles many newspapers are having embracing/adopting the Web. There are business issues (subscriptions vs. free content), access challenges (everything available vs. select content), advertising (cannibalize the lucrative classified business vs. let Craigslist eat your lunch) and content creation (blogs? podcasts? videocasts?). The Biving Report (hat tip to Jeff Jarvis) offers up nine ways that newspapers can improve their Web sites. Most of them are fairly straightforward: remove registration requirements, improve graphics/design and use RSS. Others are a little more progressive: partnering with local bloggers, the use of tags, and working with “social” Web services such as del.icio.us and Digg. It is curious to see newspapers still grappling with the Web a decade after Netscape helped bring the mainstream online. Then again, the music industry is still trying to figure out how to embrace the digital world. Personally, newspapers have little no choice but to go high or go home as far as the Web goes. With more people getting their news online, newspapers need to experiment and take chances to remain viable and vibrant. Some of these experiments will fail, while some of them will be successful. In an ideal world, newspapers will be able to offer physical and digital (online, wireless) products that meet the needs of a variety of readers AND advertisers.
Update: TechDirt has an interesting post today looking at the Web and newspapers – with a focus on a reporter in Missouri and a discussion about whether the newspaper Web site should provide links to external sites. (Ultimately, they decided not to do it)

This entry was posted in Main Page, Media. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

2 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    Posted August 30, 2006 at 3:05 pm | Permalink

    completely agree with you but I'd go one step further and say that every journalist should start their own blog. it's just a matter of time before journalists are made to blog on the paper's hosted blog product – depriving them of both their IP and, potentialy, extra revenue.
    Ed

  2. Anonymous
    Posted August 30, 2006 at 5:32 pm | Permalink

    Mark,
    I would be interested hear your opinion of the The Toronto Star;s annoucnement today of producing a mid afternoon updated downloadable version of their newspaper.
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060829.wstar0829/BNStory/National/
    Looks to me this is geared for all those GO commuters to print out newspaper before heading home from the day. Being paper averse I would prefer fresh content on their site with a time stamp so one could determine which news stories are more current

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

  • Subscribe RSSFollow me on TwitterSubscribe on FeedBurner
  • TwitterCounter for @markevans

  • How it works  |  Vision & Calls  |  Cost

    What's on

    Have you seen what you can get with BT's digital tv?

    © All Rights Reserved
    BT Vision and Calls

    Did you know that BT offers great deals in cheap mobile calls and cheap international phone calls? If you have a phone line with BT, come and see how we can reduce your bill of your home phone.


    Get one of our broadband telephone packages to get even more entertainment at a great value.

    How it works

    With BT Vision now you can enjoy Freeview digital tv channels, radio channels and a great range of on demand entertainment.

    Cost

    Get a deal at a great value with our digital tv packages. Visit our website to find out more.

    What you need

    BT Phone line

    BT Total Broadband

    A TV and aerial

    Freeview coverage

    Speed test  |  Availability  |  Support

    BT Total Broadband

    Want fast, broadband wireless internet? Get BT Total Broadband.

    Speed test

    If you are unsure of how fast your line is, have a broadband speed test. You just have to enter your telephone number or postcode below. You will need a minimum of 2MB speed to be able to get BT Vision.

    Enter phone number
    or postcode
    Availability

    Want to see check broadband availability in your local area? Enter your postcode in our broadband postcode checker below and find out what is available to you.

    Enter postcode
    Support

    BT offers great support with broadband services. Do you need broadband help? Contact us and we will be more than happy to help you.

  • Wikio - Top Blogs - Technology