Question 2: What did I learn from the experience of assessing
online coverage of the Presidential election?

  • TV is a faster medium for breaking news -- right now at least -- because it's more immediate.
  • The Web lacks the human side of TV. TV is more intimate.
  • The Web requires you to look closely and know what you want before you go to the page.
  • On the Web, you have to relinquish some control of your writing because of the deadline.
  • There are multiple ways to produce news and to convey information on the Web.
  • Writing, technique and structure of a site can be vastly different, even if theyıre covering the same event.
  • Some sites weren't as good as expected.
  • The Internet cannot yet compete with television on political coverage.
  • Local information was the most pertinent and personal to the user.
  • News websites need more experienced and more savvy journalists overseeing editorial content.
  • Serious gaps exist in online coverage of breaking news events in writing and storytelling quality.
  • Sites need infrastructure improvements to support the demand, as many were inaccessible at times.
  • Sites should not stray far from their niche. For example, breaking news sites should focus on breaking news; literary sites should offer context and color.
  • When reporting, continue to feed information to the website.
  • Write crisp and tight.
  • Stories that kept my interest were the ones with voice, that put me at Hillary Clinton's party, for example. I wanted the facts, but I also wanted a story. If the voice was compelling, length was not an issue -- I would read to the end.
  • It might be useful, perhaps through presentation, to draw a distinction between stories with a voice and stories that are information-centric.
  • Few sites had a good mix of short, information-centric pieces and stories with voice.
  • Do more interactive things to allow readers to participate.
  • Go all out in planning and executing on Election Day.
  • Do not be unclear or confusing.
  • Offer teasers in advance to show readers what to expect.

[National Newspapers ] [National Broadcast Outlets] [Opinion Websites ]
[Web-Only Politics ] [Swing-state Broadcast Stations] [Local Newspapers]
[Web-only vs. Newspaper] [International Websites]


Lessons Learned:
Introduction

Question 1:
What surprised me?

Question 2:
What did I learn?

Question 3:
What do I need to learn next?