For those of us who work long hours and can't always get home at six o'clock to see the evening news, the Internet has become something of a life saver. Online news websites provide users with current stories from around the world. This offers a big advantage over the newspapers, which usually only provide information on events that occurred the day before. On the Internet, the news can be presented to you as it's happening, so you don't have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to read about it. And since these sites are up 24 hours a day, you can find out what's going on whenever it fits your schedule.
Most news-related websites fall into one of two categories. On one side, there are news organizations like CNN and wire services like AP and Reuters, which offer breaking news from a global perspective. On the other side are online versions of print newspapers, which offer more local coverage.
CNN.com Sets the Standard
The best site for any news organization is still CNN Interactive, the online version of the Cable News Network. Like most of the larger news web sites, CNN Interactive is continuously updated throughout the day to provide the most current news stories available. If you enter the site at 10 a.m., chances are the site's front page will look much different at 10 p.m.
CNN Interactive is divided into two dozen sections, each covering a different subject, such as national news, sports, showbiz and weather. Each page of CNN Interactive has a menu on the left-hand side which lists all the sections; click on one, and you'll automatically be sent to that area.
Once you've chosen a particular subject, you'll be presented the top news story of the day for that section, as well as a few dozen other stories and links to related topics. Click on an article, and CNN Interactive brings up the full text of the story (as well as any related pictures and links). Whenever you switch from web page to another, the menu on the left-hand side of the screen updates itself, so you know exactly what section of the site you're in.
In additional to the usual subjects, like world news, travel, and health, CNN Interactive offers a number of special features not always found on other news sites. For instance, there's a daily news quiz, where users are asked questions about various current news topics in a multiple-choice format. There's also an almanac which contains a "This Day in History" section, as well as lists of that day's important world events, holidays, and birthdays. And the Video Vault contains QuickTime and VXtreme movie clips of the latest news, in addition to a video archive of historical news footage. CNN Interactive's web address is [url=http://www.cnn.com]http://www.cnn.com[/url].
Drudge Report: More Than Meets the Eye
Another great site, with more than 130 links to newspapers, wire services and individual columnists is Matt Drudge's Drudge Report (http.//www.drudgereport.com). It's not the most impressive looking page at first glance: the entire site consists of just a large headline, the site's logo, and three columns of hyperlinks. Don't be quick to judge this website by its lack of sights and sounds, however. What Drudge Report lacks in "eye candy," it more than makes up for in ease of use and quick download time.
Links are categorized in each column. The left-hand side provides links to the AP and UPI news services, both of which also include search engines (a nice touch). Further down the left-hand side are links to various other online newspapers and wire services, from Reuters and MSNBC to the New York Times and USA Today. The column also has links to a number of magazines and newsletters, from the National Review to the National Enquirer. With the variety offered, users are sure to find a service or publication that interests them.
Taking up the central section of Drudge Report are a number of links to individual columnists. This area provides an equally diverse selection of writers and other personalities. More than fifty of the country's best syndicated columnists are available for the choosing, from William F. Buckley and Phyllis Schlafly to Howard Kurtz and Molly Ivins. In addition, users have the ability to jump to the op-ed pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as the calendar section from the Los Angeles Times and a listing of that night's television shows.
The column on the far right-hand side consists of one or more of the top news stories of the day; a map of the local weather; a traffic report; a link to past issues of Drudge Report; and a window that viewers can use to submit their own stories. There's also a NewsTracker search engine similar to the ones used for the Associated Press and UPI. And if users have a question or comment, the site provides an e-mail address for Mr. Drudge.
What makes Drudge Report such a great site is its simplicity. There are no video vaults, no photo galleries or article archives that can take several minutes to download. There's also no advertising, which is a welcome surprise because ad banners slow down a site's download time. And since each of the links are presented on one page, there's no flipping back and forth throughout the site to find the correct link. Just click on the organization or columnist that interests you, and off you go. Extra, Extra: Washington Post Goes Online
The Washington Post is regarded by many as the best newspaper in the country. Not one to rest on their laurels, the ladies and gentlemen who run the Web's version of the Post ([url=http://www.washingtonpost.com]http://www.washingtonpost.com[/url]) put a lot of effort into designing that page for its readers. The result is one of the most efficient, comprehensive online newspaper sites currently on the Web. With its ease of use, content, and simple search options, washingtonpost.com puts a lot of other newspaper sites to shame.
Washingtonpost.com doesn't flood its front page with links and headlines of every story. Instead, the front page lists about a half dozen of that day's most important stories. At the top of the front page is a menu which lets users select a certain section, such as national news, travel, or business, and then go to that section for the news. It's a nice feature, because it keeps download time to a minimum and lists all the news stories one section at a time.
Clicking on a particular section of the news sends you to that section's front page. Sections are further divided into subpages, so you can find exactly what you're looking for on a certain news story. The international news page, for instance, is divided into more than a dozen subcategories, including an Africa page, a Middle East page, a "Former Soviet Union" page, and a flashback section that lists important dates and events in world history.
The international section isn't the only one to be broken down this way. Each of the main sections of washingtonpost.com are divided and categorized into smaller subjects. By breaking down each section of the news into smaller, more defined categories, users can zero in on a subject that interests them without having to wander hopelessly throughout the site.
One of the Post's most practical online options is called "News from the States." This option lets users zero in on events that have happened in a particular region. Here's an example. I wanted to find out some information on the Indianapolis Colts, a professional football team. There is very little coverage about the Colts in California, so I decided to try the Post and see what information they had.
First, I used the search option on washingtonpost.com and typed in "Indiana." The "News from the States" screen came up, and I clicked on the Indiana icon. Another screen appeared a few seconds later, giving me the option of reading everything about that state that had been printed in the Post for the last 30 days. I could also jump to any of a half dozen Indiana newspapers that have online editions. By accessing the local papers, I was able to find out all the information I wanted.
This is a great feature for a number of reasons. For one, it gives readers a local perspective of national events. In addition, if you move from your native state to another, this is a good way to keep track of your favorite regional columnists and papers and read about the news taking place on the home front.
The Best of the Rest
CNN Interactive, Drudge Report and washingtonpost.com are just a few of the thousands of news services and organizations that inhabit the Web. In addition to the sites reviewed above, there are a few others worth browsing through:
American Journalism Review Newslink: [url=http://www.newslink.org]http://www.newslink.org[/url] Nando Times Online: [url=http://www.nando.net]http://www.nando.net[/url] One World: [url=http://www.oneworld.org]http://www.oneworld.org[/url] Time Warner's Pathfinder Network: [url=http://www.pathfinder.com]http://www.pathfinder.com[/url] Yahoo-Reuters Hourly News Summary: [url=http://www/yahoo.com/headlines/current/news/summary.html]http://www/yahoo.com/headlines/current/news/summary.html[/url]
In our next issue, we'll return to the topic of the "millennium bug" to help clarify some of the myths that particular computer problem is supposed to create in the year 2000. Future issues will cover such subjects as picking the right Internet service provider (ISP) and discussing certain Internet error messages. As always, we welcome your suggestions. If you have any questions or comments about this column, please contact me.
Michael Devitt
Huntington Beach, California
Tel: (714) 960-6577
Fax: (714) 536-1482
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