Kurt Jarchow's Blog

I have always been interested in the news, and It’s a hobby of mine to research the media’s transition to the web.  I found a really interesting article (linked from techmeme) interviewing the man behind CNN.com.  Probably the most interested fact: MSNBC has more unique visitors, but CNN user’s click more.

I’ve always been a fan of msnbc.com; its my primary source of news, and is usually the second site I check in the morning (techmeme is first).  I followed them through their redesign, learning a few things from their alphachannel blog (great idea btw, it takes critical blogs like mine off the google top 10 ).  I like their site.  It’s not revolutionary, but it does the basics very well.

It’s funny because CNN.com is usually my 3rd stop.  It’s design is older, it doesn’t seem to have as much content (their technology section will have the same article up for a week), but I still pass by to see if MSNBC missed anything.  Its funny because one of the things it does so well on TV is completely lost on their website: humanization.  I have no one to identify with on their website.  Without the comfort with a familiar persona, and the fact that I usually don’t find much to read on their site, why do I still check it?

Is it beneficial, just a habit, or have I been duped by CNN’s marketing?

I think its a little bit of everything, but reading that article gave me hope for a more relevant CNN.com.  Mr. Estenson, the new general manager of CNN.com (what’s up with the Mr.?), understands me- I hope.  A news aggregator like Google can give me headlines much more efficiently online that CNN, so what are you going to give me?  Huh?

One thing we are seeing happen, which I think is fantastic, is twitter news.  Its not an official in any sense of the word, but its reaching online headlines quicker than CNN or MSNBC could ever dream.  From the Californian wild fires, to the attacks on Tibet monks, to the recent plane crash in New York, Twitter is getting out up-to-date news to people.  Just think, what if everyone was twittering from their mobiles?  And what if important twitters were somehow highlighted, like Google news?  Would it completely bypass news networks, or would it just give networks a more efficient way to distribute the news?

I think the answer is linked to the reason I don’t like the current CNN site.  As bad as this sounds, I like a popular face giving me the news.  Having Wolf Blitzer tell me what’s going on entertains me more than reading plain text  It’s comforting.  (An aside: It just doesn’t feel fair that, looking at the fall of print news, news broadcasters have glided to success online any loses)

Let’s hope Mr. Estenson can breath a little more life into CNN.com.  Keep me interested!