Television Station Websites

[Signature on File]

Why is it that television news organizations are so worried about losing veiwers, yet they promote the heck out of their websites as a way to get your news???? graemlins/iamwithstupid.gif

[Brain Cramp]

Insurance. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

[overthehill]

Everyone in TV KNOWS their viewers are using the web. It's a given. If you can't admit it, you're blind (not you personally).

The challenge is to find a way to create interactivity between your website and the TV. Have the web drive people to TV and vice-versa.

"If you want more, go to our website." But you'd better truly have MORE on the website, not the same story I just saw on TV. You're crying wolf.

If I'm on the website, you'd better find a way to make me turn to tonight's 10/11pm newscast.

[ontrackp]

Unfortunately, most TV station websites are so visually irritating and busy they probably drive viewers away. Back in the early days of web-sites (say 7 years ago) I produced a video for a seminar given by Ernst & Young on doing business in the internet age. The speaker, their head of everything interactive, made the point that you have to consider a visit to your website like a visit to your home. You have to make people feel welcome and comfortable. That's the starting point. I have not seen a station website yet that meets that criteria.

Websites have the power to build communities, but it has to be thought out really, really carefully. Hopefully stations will start to figure out how to do it right. The web has become so important that it has to come first. Engage viewers on the web and they will follow to the broadcasts.

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

How about tv stations that refuse to put news on their website because mgt. is afraid viewers will quit watching the shows? I've worked at a couple. graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif

[tazz765]

Originally posted by ISTHISTHINGON?:
How about tv stations that refuse to put news on their website because mgt. is afraid viewers will quit watching the shows? I've worked at a couple. graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif graemlins/face_banghead.gif or even better websites that have no video so you can't even learn more about a story you liked.

[Fearmonger]

The great thing about TV news websites is that ex-patriots of TV markets can keep up with local news and elections. Our kids serving in the military overseas can also check out their own local news.

I remember when the very myopic and short-sighted former WLS-TV Chicago news director, Tom Dolan told me he’d fire anyone in the newsroom using the Internet. Dolan was quite the micro-manager who left TV after being fired from an Arizona station to become a DC based TV “consultant”.

[Bureau Chief]

I visit about 2 dozens station websites a day as part of my job. The one thing that I find the most irritating is the immediate assault by video ads. Usually extra loud and aggressive in order to catch your attention, it usually leads to me reaching for the volumne control..KOCO in OKC used to have a lot of these and a few of the more aggressive newspaper websites have them as well. Some of the websites are very well designed and maintained. Others, you can tell they arent a priority and are probably maintained by someone low on the food chain in the newsroom. The future of news IS the internet...the sooner that we and the stations realise this the better. I predict, as have others, that in 5 to 10 years, the evening newscast will be a thing of the past. All news will come from the internet in forms we havent even thought about yet...most likely in live to Ipods or cellphone broadcasts.

[ February 07, 2007, 07:21 AM: Message edited by: Bureau Chief ]