CNN's web designers seem to have brought as many different types of content to the home page as possible. It has latest news and features -- both headlines and videos, most popular (newspulse), a whole banner of editor’s picks videos in a banner across the middle of the page and topic boxes with links to stories. I think that sounds confusing, but it’s well organized and easy to follow. Take a look for yourself.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OhWWsR1afKg/SuXBp3E0MhI/AAAAAAAACPs/wvFaAv_scJ0/s200/cnn+follow.jpg)
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OhWWsR1afKg/SuXBhOALx_I/AAAAAAAACPk/AH7Gmngzato/s200/cnn+profile.jpg)
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I’m not an iReporter, but I was interested in what’s happening on the citizen journalism front. What was new to me was the concept of “vetted” iReports. These reports have been checked (for correctness, acceptability, they don’t say exactly what) by CNN editors. One assumes that’s an attempt to give credibility to citizen journalism. On the iReport main page they have an Assignment Desk where readers can get story ideas while in search of their 15 minutes of fame. That’s interesting, but I don’t think it’s the real purpose, for CNN or for local news sites. News happens and often reporters aren’t on the scene, but people with their phone cameras are. With that in mind, CNN just launched an iPhone app so people can upload iReports directly from 3GS iPhones. Events and breaking news seem to be the whole point!
As I looked as this I was reminded of a section of last year’s Razorfish FEED report (now hard to find but is on SlideShare). The chapter on usability/Dr. Nielsen is what I was recalling and here is the provocative quote:
The New Building Blocks
Jakob says:
People don’t read your websites; use a different editorial style and make your pages “scannable.”
We say:
Throw away your concept of primarily designing “pages” as building blocks and start designing experiences. (slide 20)
I think that’s what CNN is trying to do. Call it engagement, call it offering experiences, it may be a guidepost on the road to the future of the web. It’s an experiment worth following.
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