Hometown political coverage

I thought I would share something that my hometown paper, The Observer-Dispatch, is doing as part of their Congressional election coverage that I find to be a very good idea.

The OD is not most well-known for its use of multimedia, but, to the staff's credit, they've been working very hard to incorporate more elements of audio and video coverage onto their website. The recent filming (and subsequent online posting) of a debate between Congressional race candidates shows the progress being made by the paper in this area, and presents a very good example of use (and presentation) of multimedia.

The filmed debated, in which the candidates fielded questions from the OD's editorial board, is featured on the home page of the website by banner shown below:

Clicking on the banner sends users to a page with an embedded video player, and links to the candidate's answers (and rebuttals) to each question. 

Here is what the page looks like:

What do you think? Is this a good way to feature and present the material? I think it is. Could they have done anything differently to enhance the presentation?

Twitter: It's growing

Remember that little thing called Twitter I talked about (and practiced) a few posts ago?

Well, apparently it's not so little...

According to the latest report from Neilsen Online, Twitter is the fastest growing social network in the United States with an audience increase of 343 percent since September 2007.

Let me say that once more: 343 PERCENT!

While I myself have still not jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and, to be honest, still don't fully understand it (it seems sort of creepy to me), I think this social network might be here to stay (or at least until something better replaces it).

Newspapers online: A lot for a little

I found this interesting and thought I would share...

Newspaper Web sites attracted a record 68.3 million unique visitors in the third quarter of 2008, equal to 41.4 percent of all American Internet users, according to newspaper Association of America. However, they have yet to monetize their online readership.

What's the answer? How can newspaper's make money online?

Well, don't ask me!

I'm stumped.

Other than advertising - which is becoming more and more difficult to secure - how can newspapers make money through their web sites? They can't charge people to visit their sites as readers will simply go elsewhere for their news (this is already proven in the fact that many newspapers that used to charge for archived stories now offer dated stories free of charge).

I'm sure someone will come up with a wonderful, groundbreaking idea at some point (see: YouTube). But, when? And, what?

Do you guys have any ideas?

More mobile: Text Alerts

Want to know the latest breaking news and headlines from The Miami Herald right after they happen?

Simple.

Sign up for text alerts from the Herald.

You can even customize what news your receive. If sports is your thing, the Herald will text you the latest scores. If you want Dade County news, that can also be arranged. Same goes for Broward. You can even get the latest weather forecast or winning lottery numbers sent right to your phone.

The Herald is not alone with text alerts (as I'm sure most all of you know). Many newspaper around the country offer this service as well.

Want to know what's going on in my hometown of Utica, NY?

Well, you might not, but I do. That's why I'll sign up for Text Me O-D.

Another way to get your news

As if we didn't already have enough ways to get our news, the Associated Press has launched a Mobile News Network App for BlackBerry Smart Phones.

The new application, which can be downloaded for free, "provides anytime access to international, national, and local news content from about 1,000 media sources."

Just when it seems that we have every avenue available to us for gathering information, another crops up.

I wonder what's next...