The Use of the Internet by America’s Largest Newspapers (2008 Edition) December 18, 2008
Every year, The Bivings Group conducts a study of the web features of America’s largest newspapers as a way to gauge how papers are dealing with the threat and opportunity presented by the rise of the Internet as a news source. Given the challenging economic climate, we were particularly excited to complete this year’s version and to see how newspapers are expanding their web programs to deal with the crisis the industry is in. Our research examined the websites of the top 100 newspapers in the United States, as determined by circulation (via the Audit Bureau of Circulations). We evaluated all of the websites on the presence of lack of various web features. You can access summary findings below:
Below are some key findings:
- Newspapers are experimenting with user generated content. The study found that 58 percent of newspapers allowed for user generated photos, while 18 percent accepted video and 15 percent articles. Overall, 58 percent of newspapers offered some form of user generated content in 2008 compared to 24 percent in 2007.
- Research shows that the number of newspaper websites allowing users to comment on articles has more than doubled in the last year. Seventy five percent of newspapers now accept article comments in some form, compared to 33 percent in 2007.
- Ten percent of newspapers had social networking tools, such as user profiles and the ability to “friend” other users, built into their sites in 2008. This compares to five percent of sites that included this feature in 2007. It is surprising that this number isn’t higher.
- Seventy six percent of newspapers offered a Most Popular view of content in some form (Most Emailed, Most Blogged, Most Commented, etc.). This compares to 51 percent in 2007 and 33 percent in 2006.
- Integration with external social bookmarking sites like Digg and del.icio.us has increased dramatically the last few years. Ninety-two percent of newspapers now include this option compared to only seven percent in 2006.
- Every newspaper the study examined featured some sort of online advertising. Indeed, 100% of newspapers provided some form of contextual advertising, such as Google Adwords. Forty-three percent of newspaper websites used interstitial advertising.
- Of the new features examined in this year’s study, we found that 57 percent of newspapers offer PDF editions, 20 percent offer chatting options, 96 percent provide local weather information, 40 percent utilize SMS alerts and 70 percent offer community event calendars.
- The number of websites requiring registration to view most content (free or paid) has decreased from 2007. Now only 11 percent of websites require registration to view full articles, compared to 29 percent in 2007 and 23 in 2006.
- All of the 100 newspapers in the study provide some type of RSS feed. In 2007 all but three newspapers offered RSS feeds.
Speaking generally, our study shows that newspapers are trying to improve their web programs and aggressively experimenting with a variety of new features. However, having actually reviewed all these newspaper websites it is hard not to be left with the impression that the sites are being improved incrementally on the margins. Newspapers are focused on improving what they already have, when reinvention may be what is necessary in order for the industry to come out of the current crisis on the other side.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
Update: A reader alerted us that our study left out the Dallas Morning News, which is clearly a Top 100 newspaper. The list of papers we worked from was from the Audit Bureau of Circulations and excluded the Dallas Morning News for some reason. We apologize for the oversight and should have double checked the list.
Trackbacks/Pings
+1
Study: Newspaper Websites Are Still Figuring Out This Whole Conversation Thing - December 18th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
-2
調査結果：新聞サイトは未だに対話方法を手探り中 - December 18th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
-1
Bivings Analyzes Top 100 Newspapers Websites in United States - December 19th, 2008 at 12:53 am
+2
buzzup.com - December 19th, 2008 at 3:48 am
+1
Top newspapers transforming into online newspapers | Startup Meme - Technology Startup and Latest Tech News - December 19th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Comments
+1
Fraser - December 18th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
The link to your Full Study gives me a 404 error
+2
Todd Zeigler - December 18th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Fraser - this is fixed and the link is here.
http://www.bivings.com/thelab/.....8study.pdf
Thanks for the heads up.
I didn’t see any discussion about the use of SEO. Given that these sites get over 60% of their traffic from organic (i.e, non-paid) search engine results (2/3 of that from Google), I’d imagine this is a major–if not *the* major–concern for them.
http://thenoisychannel.com/200.....e-so-high/
+1
Oscar Halpert - December 18th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I just don’t see newspapers going far enough with cyberspace apps. The fundamenl business model is still far two one-dimensional: advertiser places ad on site/printed page, viewer/reader clicks/reads ads.
Viral marketing, yes –SEO, multi-channel marketing, are needed. And I think, ultimately, newspapers will have to morph into digital media centers offering full service marketing packages for local/international businesses. Plus the fact that most smaller papers don’t have any analytics on their customer base..they just like to make assumptions about who their readers are.
+1
Terry - December 19th, 2008 at 10:26 am
“…the ability to “friend” other user… it is surprising that this number isn’t higher.”
No surprise at all, the desire is there but the risk is just too high for the reward. None of us want to be liable for hosting the next pedophile or serial rapist’s hunting ground in our own community.
great work, thank you. I’ll definetely keep your criteria list to look how far gone the French press is on that topic !
Culling information that isn’t immediately available by a look on a newspaper-dot-com site is more difficult, sure — but if anybody’s going to do it, it’s going to be you guys. There are many questions worth asking these papers that fall in this category — here are the three on the top of my list:
1. Do you employ a community manager? Is that person full- or part-time, and is managing community their only duty?
2. Do you actively engage in SEO tactics? (And, for the first year you ask this question: When did you start?)
3. Has your online staff size changed in the past year? Did you gain or lose people?
Dealing with how you collect that information, and what if newspapers don’t provide it are not simple questions. With that in mind, I suggest you start building the connections to the online staffs of these newspapers ASAP.
You can do it!
Joe
+1
Ed Kohler - December 22nd, 2008 at 2:43 am
A big weakness is the quality of comments on newspaper sites. Technology and staffing both seem to be contributing here.
-2
Scott Bateman - December 22nd, 2008 at 10:16 am
Newspapers have “user-generated” content in the form of letters to the editor, photos, press releases, etc.
The same problems with that type of print content hold true for online — the quality of the material.
At the end of the day, newspapers will win or lose on the Web based on their ability to produce massive amounts of high-quality content and high-quality interactivity.
Quantity counts on the Web more than it does in print because of competition. Quality also counts because of credibility. Newspapers won’t get there will user-generated content.
I wrote a while back about innovation in news organizations - would love to hear your comments:
http://pravdam.com/2008/09/09/.....-approach/
-1
hp 56 printer cartridges - January 2nd, 2009 at 8:35 am
If you love blingy…
And in 2009 we should see these percentages increase drastically. Newspaper and other news medium companies are facing a serious problem as online news becomes the primary provider. Hell, we even have entire magazines in PDF / downloadable format.
I agree with Ed Kohler, the newspaper industry, like the finance industry is slow to understand/react to change.
This is one of the reasons why so many are going under….companies must be more agile during this era.
Two comments: First, I think that user-generated content will be important for smaller newspapers, but perhaps not for the large metros. But, the content will need editing of some sort, just as we now do with letters to the editor and press releases. We can’t simply give readers free rein. Mediation is the value we add to news and information.
Second, I was pleased to see that forced user registration is on the decline. Readers don’t want those “speed bumps” in their way, and they sure as heck don’t want to have to pay — yet.
We may just need more time for a new model to take hold. Pay-per-view TV works. Netflix works. Maybe there will be a time when people will pay for access for essential, mediated information from the web.
I think you are thinking like sukrat, but I think you should cover the other side of the topic in the post too…
I am unable to understand this post. But well some points are useful for me.
Good work! Thank you very much!
I always wanted to write in my blog something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
Of course, I will add backlink?
Sincerely, Timur I.
http://www.bivingsreport.com - cool sitename man)))
-1
Gooksmymn - February 4th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Hi there
If anyone knows or provide..
I need UK VPN account.. (to bypass unblock etc..)
I already have USA vpn account..
I dont want to provide vpn service..
I want to buy and enjoy one..
Hi. Your site displays incorrectly in Firefox, but content excellent! Thank you for your wise words:)
It would make more sense to keep the same color bars for the same years in your grafics. Each one uses red for a different year, why not always use red for 2008, for example?
Adding this page to my bookmarks. I look forward to future posts. Thank You