The difference between an effective or ineffective website is a very thin line. The determination of overall effectiveness is predicated on several factors: compactness and accuracy of the information presented, how thoroughly one’s query is answered, relative ease of navigation, and how the site adds up when compared to similar sites. Based on these protocols, an examination of the website www.CNN.com proves the site to be highly effective. The wide array of topics and informative articles presented there provide a wealth of knowledge, as well as superior coverage of current events. This combination of favorable factors contributes to the effectiveness of the site.
Condensing a large amount of information accurately without the appearance of being cluttered or disorganized is a challenge. Many sites contain an equivalent quantity of knowledge, but the means of deciding what goes where results in items being placed counter-intuitively, thus complicating things for the user. In other cases the opposite is the reality. Superb organization meets with a veritable dearth of information. Neither is the case here, as the website masterfully condenses a large quantity of information, yet organizes it succinctly for user consumption. CNN.com utilizes a tabbing system with nineteen different headings to contain everything thing from world affairs to automotive concerns. While this may seem quite expansive, the website has a feature which allows the user to customize the front page of the site, thereby giving them a means to add or detract items from the page as they see fit. Additionally, there is a search bar powered by Yahoo which increases the informative capability of the site. As for the articles that are already present on the site, the information is updated up to the minute, ensuring the most accurate information available. Presenting an immense quantity of data concisely and accurately goes a long way in ensuring that one finds what he was that for which he was searching.
The most common reason for accessing the internet is to obtain some modicum of information. Whether one is searching for directions to a new amusement park or how to prepare fillet mignon, the basic premise remains the same: answer the question completely in the lowest possible required time. Concurrently, when one seeks said information, they want to ensure that they have the whole of that which they sought. It does no good to find the address of the amusement park, but not know which highway to take to get there. Complete unbiased articles are the only medium to effectively convey all the angles that one would need to know. CNN.com’s presentation of relevant news articles without the appearance of any overt slant ensures that the viewer is receiving the most complete news possible, while allowing him to reach any conclusion that his own personal interpretations may allow. Not only are there written articles, but in many instances, there are video clips which help to illustrate the stories further. This added clarity can typically be equated with a greater understanding of the issue at hand. Whether going from article to video or the reverse, the ease of navigation on the site is of paramount importance.
Like many websites, the design on this page is easy to decipher, as it very intuitive. Any time the user selects a link from the tabs at the top of the page, the new page is displayed while showing the other non-selected areas on the left hand side. So rather than go back to the home page and then go to a new section, the user is allowed to simply jump from where he is to where he wants to be. Referring back to previously mentioned video clips; they load quickly and have the standard movie player controls. The wide library of items to choose from is easy to sift through. These points set CNN.com apart from other news reporting websites. CNN.com arguably has presenting news on its agenda, while most other sites have an agenda on presenting the news.
There are many other news reporting websites, but they do not comparatively compete with CNN.com when the contest is judged on the content of article depth. Other outlets like Fox News or MSNBC, report on the same range of issues as do CNN, but the overt political slant often times results in a somewhat incomplete story being told. Other news sites such as yahoo.com or msn.com report on issues without a noticeable bias, but they lack true journalistic fervor as illustrated by CNN. They are both just web based companies reporting news whereas CNN is a news based company reporting on the web. The drive to provide a deeper story underscores the website’s overall effectiveness.
Ultimately, CNN.com is a highly effective website. There is a very highly concentrated wealth of information available at the user’s fingertips. Not only is
information accurate as of the minute, but it is well organized, thus making individual pieces of information very easy to locate. Questions are therefore easily answered in full. Video clips also aid in the absorption of information. . It handily achieves its goal of presenting the news in the truest, fullest form without bias or the appearance of an agenda of any sort, a claim that few competitors can assert. This is important because bias or slant is a slippery slope that can lead to incomplete reporting of a story, thus preventing the reader from drawing his own conclusions, at which point the news is no longer being disseminated, but rather the opinions of the reporter. Where there is information displayed on the site it is often supplemented by video clip where possible. This visual reinforcement of what is going on can be of a tremendous value to many of the site’s patrons. Information is very easy to access from anywhere on the site, as the ability to jump from topic to topic enables the user to do just that. Adding the power of a well renowned search engine further adds to the information gathering capacity of this site, which simply goes to bolster the claim of the site’s overall effectiveness. Superior news coverage, combined with ease of both comprehension and location of information, make the website www.CNN.com, a highly effective tool to use.
