[Florida Today: One of more than 100 websites due for overhaul]
Following is from the company's latest annual 10-K report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Can anyone tell me the status of this project? Plus, does this have anything to do with ContentOne?
In order to drive audience growth, in 2010 the company will begin a major redesign of the company’s core newspaper and broadcast websites that will not only create a more relevant and enjoyable experience for users, but also establish an infrastructure that will allow for constant updates. This will allow the company to be more nimble in making future changes to its sites to benefit both users and advertisers. The redesign project will add appropriate social and contextual tools to create better experiences for users and will establish unique advertising opportunities that will deliver better engagement and enable stronger connections between advertisers and consumers.
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Too busy. Where's the news?
ReplyDeleteIt is about time. Jeez, the Web sites look stale and haven't been changed in years. Take a look at USA Today, which is boring. There are exciting sites out there, but they aren't being run by Gannett.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the project dealing with redesigning the overall appearance is just in the first-draft-mockup stage; even if the schedule doesn't change, that's not expected to be ready until (I think) August. But unlike GO4, this isn't a "roll all the changes out at once" approach, so bits and pieces -- say, a menu redesign -- may appear earlier.
ReplyDeleteContentOne hasn't been a factor at all so far. (After all, they're about "content," not design.)
Our website like the ones at all Gannett properties is slow, slow, slow!! Feeding and viewing video is horrible! You would have to be very dedicated to want to be a repeat consumer of these web destinations. No wonder CS ran for the exit as soon as he could cash in and get out.
ReplyDeleteI'm now told that Corporate is gathering feedback from some editorial staffers, who have been shown prototypes of new designs.
ReplyDeleteThe new website design is the mastermind of Saridakis and Poortinga in Digital. Actually, our site (and many in USCP) like the initial designs and thought process behind it. The internal code name is Project Odyssey.
ReplyDeleteIt is in the early phases, but we will see parts of it rolling out by 3rd quarter with a bulk of it by the end of the year.
Content One has not been involved (Thank God!) with this project. This will certainly be better than GO4, but many of us are worried that with the exit of Saridakis, will his team be able to deliver on the initial vision for the redesign.
Hopefully it's not anything like the infamous redesign of a couple years ago where corporate gave everyone the same GO4 template and traffic plunged. However I fear it will be.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you my spouse is part of a "regional resource" on web, and news of this hasn't filtered that far yet or I would have heard it.
ReplyDelete