Comments on: Who links to the report they’re reporting on? http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/ A conversation. Fri, 25 May 2012 00:29:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Philip John http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10639 Philip John Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:10:29 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10639 Why care about Google? Google wants _quality_ for the user in their search results. This is a basic web usability issue. If you're writing about something chances are the person reading might want to know more, so make life easy for them. I'll bet there's some thinking in the newspapers you mentioned that linking out is bad because it means they loose visitors. I've heard that same reason for not linking out a hundred times, but guess what? Visitors will leave *because* you haven't made life easier for them. As for the print vs web CMS issue I believe that print and web deserve separate attention. Too often mistakes made on the web are down to offline practices being applied online. Business (and newspaper) owners need to realise that the web is a completely different animal that needs a completely different approach. Build a new CMS! Sorry, I've ranted :) Why care about Google? Google wants _quality_ for the user in their search results. This is a basic web usability issue.

If you’re writing about something chances are the person reading might want to know more, so make life easy for them. I’ll bet there’s some thinking in the newspapers you mentioned that linking out is bad because it means they loose visitors. I’ve heard that same reason for not linking out a hundred times, but guess what? Visitors will leave *because* you haven’t made life easier for them.

As for the print vs web CMS issue I believe that print and web deserve separate attention. Too often mistakes made on the web are down to offline practices being applied online. Business (and newspaper) owners need to realise that the web is a completely different animal that needs a completely different approach. Build a new CMS!

Sorry, I’ve ranted :)

]]> By: Si sueñan con tráfico, escriban con enlaces - Amphibia http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10638 Si sueñan con tráfico, escriban con enlaces - Amphibia Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:31:30 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10638 [...] El gobierno inglés publicó hace unos días un informé oficial sobre movilidad social. OJB se tomó el trabajo de analizar cuáles de los medios que se hicieron eco de la noticia ofrecieron a sus audiencias un enlace al reporte completo disponible online. Los resultados son poco alentadores. [...] [...] El gobierno inglés publicó hace unos días un informé oficial sobre movilidad social. OJB se tomó el trabajo de analizar cuáles de los medios que se hicieron eco de la noticia ofrecieron a sus audiencias un enlace al reporte completo disponible online. Los resultados son poco alentadores. [...]

]]> By: paulbradshaw http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10637 paulbradshaw Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:26:49 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10637 'Get your act together' was addressed at news orgs, but fair point. Will re-write. ‘Get your act together’ was addressed at news orgs, but fair point. Will re-write.

]]> By: Martin Stabe http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10636 Martin Stabe Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:05:49 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10636 <a href="http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-134515" rel="nofollow">Ian Hill's experience</a> is exactly the same as my own. I'm certain that print-to-web workflows and software are to blame for this long-standing gripe about news websites. But that's an explanation, not an excuse. Most readers don’t know about the complexities of multi-channel publishing, nor should we expect them to have any sympathy for the constraints we work under. From the online reader's perspective, these are just stories that aren’t particularly web-friendly. But since the issues are (in most cases) technical and therefore outside individual journalists' control, "get your act together" isn't particularly helpful advice. I'd love to hear more about solutions or workarounds that news organisations can use to preserve links when faced with less-than-ideal legacy software which can't be quickly replaced or improved. Ian Hill’s experience is exactly the same as my own. I’m certain that print-to-web workflows and software are to blame for this long-standing gripe about news websites.

But that’s an explanation, not an excuse. Most readers don’t know about the complexities of multi-channel publishing, nor should we expect them to have any sympathy for the constraints we work under. From the online reader’s perspective, these are just stories that aren’t particularly web-friendly.

But since the issues are (in most cases) technical and therefore outside individual journalists’ control, “get your act together” isn’t particularly helpful advice. I’d love to hear more about solutions or workarounds that news organisations can use to preserve links when faced with less-than-ideal legacy software which can’t be quickly replaced or improved.

]]> By: Why we need better software: Around Journalism | Ian Hill http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10635 Why we need better software: Around Journalism | Ian Hill Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:25:47 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10635 [...] morning I’ve been discussing some of the flaws in journalism software in an Online Journalism Blog forum. I’ll probably post a related blog on ianhillmedia this [...] [...] morning I’ve been discussing some of the flaws in journalism software in an Online Journalism Blog forum. I’ll probably post a related blog on ianhillmedia this [...]

]]> By: Ian http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10634 Ian Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:16:03 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10634 write a linked Web version, stupid iPhone. write a linked Web version, stupid iPhone.

]]> By: Ian Hill http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10633 Ian Hill Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:14:21 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10633 Not just their CMSs, but their print software as well. And the print software is where it gets complicated, because you need a system for word processing and page design that can communicate with the press. Ideally, we'd have one piece of software that includes word processing and page design and can correctly communicate with a press and a Web site. Perhaps it would allow reporters to wrote a linked Web version, then automatically delete the links for print. Can anyone provide an example of software that can do all of the above? I'd love to hear more about it. Not just their CMSs, but their print software as well. And the print software is where it gets complicated, because you need a system for word processing and page design that can communicate with the press. Ideally, we’d have one piece of software that includes word processing and page design and can correctly communicate with a press and a Web site. Perhaps it would allow reporters to wrote a linked Web version, then automatically delete the links for print.

Can anyone provide an example of software that can do all of the above? I’d love to hear more about it.

]]> By: paulbradshaw http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10632 paulbradshaw Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:04:47 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10632 I wouldn't be surprised at all - in fact, I am pretty sure that's the reason in most cases: I've seen the CMSs. This just highlights why news orgs need to look at that side of their CMSs. Good point about broadcast CMSs - hadn't thought of that aspect. I wouldn’t be surprised at all – in fact, I am pretty sure that’s the reason in most cases: I’ve seen the CMSs. This just highlights why news orgs need to look at that side of their CMSs. Good point about broadcast CMSs – hadn’t thought of that aspect.

]]> By: Ian Hill http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10631 Ian Hill Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:01:55 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10631 Hey Paul, You're implying that reporters and editors are too lazy/dumb/sloppy to link. But have you emailed any of the media sources above to ask them why they don't link more? You might be surprised to learn that it's probably a technical issue. The newspapers where I've worked manage print editions through design and word processing software while running their Web sites on unrelated CMSs. The two pieces of software usually don't communicate very well. Every night, the newspaper where I work now transmits several dozen local stories from its print software to its Web CMS. There are no links, obviously, as reporters don't code links into print. The stories are posted automatically on our Web site. The CMS we use - which is a common brand among newspapers - hasn't even bothered to include a create links feature because of this. So if we were to create more links, we'd have to do it by hand-coding every story. And we have just three people in our online department, so hand-coding the site could easily take all day. We'd have to cut way back on our other multimedia content. This is why you're more likely to find linked stories on a television or radio Web site - where there are no print software issues - as well as in the blogs of the very print reporters who write the stories that contain no links on newspaper Web sites. Hey Paul,
You’re implying that reporters and editors are too lazy/dumb/sloppy to link. But have you emailed any of the media sources above to ask them why they don’t link more? You might be surprised to learn that it’s probably a technical issue. The newspapers where I’ve worked manage print editions through design and word processing software while running their Web sites on unrelated CMSs. The two pieces of software usually don’t communicate very well. Every night, the newspaper where I work now transmits several dozen local stories from its print software to its Web CMS. There are no links, obviously, as reporters don’t code links into print. The stories are posted automatically on our Web site. The CMS we use – which is a common brand among newspapers – hasn’t even bothered to include a create links feature because of this. So if we were to create more links, we’d have to do it by hand-coding every story. And we have just three people in our online department, so hand-coding the site could easily take all day. We’d have to cut way back on our other multimedia content.
This is why you’re more likely to find linked stories on a television or radio Web site – where there are no print software issues – as well as in the blogs of the very print reporters who write the stories that contain no links on newspaper Web sites.

]]> By: Internet Marketing, Strategy & Technology Links – July 24, 2009 « Sazbean http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/07/23/who-links-to-the-report-theyre-reporting-on/#comment-10630 Internet Marketing, Strategy & Technology Links – July 24, 2009 « Sazbean Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:07:03 +0000 http://onlinejournalismblog.com/?p=3048#comment-10630 [...] Who links to the report they’re reporting on? (Online Journalism Blog) [...] [...] Who links to the report they’re reporting on? (Online Journalism Blog) [...]

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