Website Critique CNN.com Positive Aspects Anna Harms, Chelsea Harper, Taniya Harris, Andrew Harrison, Michael Hermance.

Website CritiqueCNN.com

Positive Aspects

Anna Harms, Chelsea Harper, Taniya Harris,

Andrew Harrison, Michael Hermance

When and how was CNN.com created?

Brief History

• The Cable News Network, also known as CNN, is a television network founded on June 1, 1980, by Ted Turner and is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System owned by time Warner.

• CNN is known for its 24-hour news coverage and is staffed in CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and in bureaus worldwide.

• CNN.com runs on CNN’s global team of almost 4,000 news professionals.

Launching• CNN.com, initially referred to as CNN

Interactive was launched on August 30, 1995.• At the time, CNN.com was known for being

one of the first major news and information websites on the Internet.

• The website was a paid subscription service, known as ‘CNN Pipeline’ which had to be run by Microsoft on a PC.

• However, in July 2007 the service was discontinued and replaced with a free streaming service.

Today

• On October 24, 2009 CNN launched a new version of their CNN.com website.

• Continuously changing and coming out with new and innovative ways to keep in touch with it’s audience.

• CNN not only makes announcements about their new projects online, but they use other media outlets to stay in touch with users.

• Reaches nearly a billion people around the globe.

Features of CNN.com

• Staffed 24 hours a day

• Team of almost 4,000 global professionals

• Updated constantly throughout each day as the news changes

Features of CNN.com (cont.)• CNN Pipeline- paid

service• Discontinued in 2007

• Expanded for blogging and citizen journalism

• CNN iReport- user submitted photos and video

• Amateur journalists• Ex. Virginia Tech

shootings

Other Features

• Free live broadcasts for national and international news

• News Archives

• Ability to create username and profile

• Eatocracy- food blog covering health issues to culture

• BIG Social Media growth

• Podcasts

• U.S. YouTube channel

• Blogs

• Twitter

Major Users & Characteristics

• Major CNN.com users are of the MALE gender

 • Used most by the Asian

ethnicity • 35+ years

 • No children in household

  Users MOST interested in:        -Business news and info    -Politics and Commentary    -Sports  

Major Users & Characteristics

• Users are affluent and educated

 • Website most visited by

graduate and post graduates 

 • Household income 60-

100k+

Major Users and Characteristics• Major users are technologically aware

and also use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter

• Take advantage of website's YouTube channel and podcasts

• Take active role in CNN.com content through CNN iReport

 • Because CNN [television] viewers are

financially savvy and curious about the world, we can assume that CNN.com users are similar

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