Write a brief response to the questions below. For help with this topic, see Chapter 5 in Working With Words, 9e.
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Some people believe that online media will endanger democratic societies by allowing the public to read only the news it wants to read, thereby lessening understanding of critical public issues. Explain why you agree or disagree with this theory.
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Unlike the traditional media, the online media have virtually unlimited space because news and other information are retrieved from computerized databases on demand. Describe how you would help consumers sort through this mass of information.
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Newspapers, wire services, and radio and television outlets spend lots of money reporting and editing the news. Online sites can legally link to this news for free. Are popular websites that link to the news without spending money to pay for it parasites, and are they killing the hosts that provide the news?
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If you were assigned the task of creating a website for a newspaper, what innovative features would you use to ensure local appeal? Describe how you would make your site different from those of other area newspapers.
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Using the criteria outlined in Chapter 5 of this text, analyze the website of your college newspaper for credibility. If your newspaper does not have a website, choose that of another college.
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Newspapers used to make a good income from classified ads, but now people tend to sell things on eBay or advertise for free on sites like craigslist.org. Could online newspapers ever be as profitable as print ones have been given the loss of such a large source of revenue? What new business model could make them more competitive?
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Review the nine guidelines for writing and presenting news online. Then evaluate your college’s newspaper website or another local media website for how well the site follows the guidelines. In what areas could the site improve?
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Read a news story, either in print or online, about a recent event. Then read a blog focused on the same subject. How do the two items differ? How are they similar? How does each enhance or detract from your understanding of the news?