WEB 2.0 AND MARMITE
Alison Gow’s blog compares journalism using web 1.0 with web 2.0. Web 2.0 is comparable to marmite except rather than the love-hate combination it either terrifies or exhilarates the reader.
Discussion has raged since the lecture about this blog. Many feel that it is too much to ask of a journalist. Once a story has been written when is there possibly time to add links, geotagging, downloadable podcasts, timelines, twitter feeds, blog developments, blog feedback, youtube videos to an article?
I believe that – love it or hate it – we should not fear it. The list of web 2.0 journalistic possibilities is seemingly endless but what is forgotten is that a story does not have to employ every tool. They simply offer the journalist more creative licence than ever – he or she can choose what tools might be appropriate for their story. The story will determine the appropriate form.
Many of these tools also facilitate a journalist rather than make their life harder. Take for example Gow’s list on researching a story. She is simply pointing out that the web is a new resource, a big melting pot of information that can be called upon at whim. A journalist can find experts, use feedback, blogs or online polls to help them. We are all guilty of over using the web because it is so incredibly useful. If anything we should not be complaining over having too many tools but trying to discipline ourselves to not use them all.
People have also been worrying that web 2.0 overloads the reader. It provides them with endless links and options until they feel ready to explode and simply turn to the trusty newspaper once more. The days of an easy life, they sigh.
Front page from Times Online website
I decided to test this theory. I looked at a a typical online newspaper, Times Online, to see how many of Alison’s web 2.0 tools it employs and whether it felt ‘overwhelming’.
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1. The articles can be found through a search box on the site or through its archive section.
2. The home page has the main stories of the day but also offers the ‘most read’, ‘most commented’ and ‘most curious’ stories of the day.
3. Within a typical article there are few links embedded within the text itself but around the article using the page space there are many different kinds of link. For example around an article about the Royal Bank of Scotland there are links along top to other economic articles, within the piece there are ‘Related Links’, the right side bar has ‘Times Recommends” with more articles, a quote search from companies, a world market timeline, market watch, links to other areas such as technology and politics articles that may be relevant and finally a ‘need a lawyer box’ a lawyer matching service the Times has now evolved in these times of dire need.
4. The website uses pictures, slideshows and videos depending upon the story as well as a photo gallery area and Times Online TV.
5. Readers can ‘comment’ on any article written though with rare replies from the journalist who wrote the piece. There is also a feedback area which is currently asking users to comment on the new ‘look’ for the newspaper.
6. After reading the article the reader can then print it, email it or post it on delicious, yahoo, fark or digg.
7. If the reader decides they have enjoyed their reading experience and would like to see more they can use the many different kinds of RSS feeds, join the e newsletter, twitter feed, facebook group, flickr group, podcasts, and track back?
8. There is also an option to create your own profile where the site can be further tailored to your needs.
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There is, however, a lack of links to writers’ blogs despite the vast blog pool available. There does not appear to rough blog drafts of articles either or geotagging for the raw ‘in the process’ experience. There is also no online chat room.
However most of Gow’s web 2.0 boxes have been neatly ticked and yet when I access the Times Online website there is no confusion, there is no panic, no outrage. The site employs an effective interface. Everything seems to link seamlessly together and I can drift from page to page if I so wish, delving deeper into my topic of choice, or read the article and simply close the window. I have the choice of a newspaper and the choice of the web at my fingertips. How far you wish to travel down the labyrinth is up to you.
A video that investigates the ‘battle’ between old and new media
