The migration of news to the web

Virtually all UK and US newspapers and the vast majority of regional and ev en local titles are now represented on the web. Indeed, the Yahoo news and media directory lists no less than 114 UK newspapers online (as of November 1998). Broadcasters from the BBC and Sky downwards, and all the famous new s agencies (Press Association, Reuters etc.) also boast comprehensive Inter net services. With such an away of sources available, the future of mass ac cess to the Internet, possibly via TV terminals, suggests that more and mor e people may soon opt for this medium to receive the bulk of their news inf ormation. This paper gives an overview of the characteristics of the medium illustrated with examples of how these are being used to both facilitate a nd enhance the content and dissemination of the news product. These charact eristics include hyperlinking to external information sources, providing ar chive access to past reports, reader interactivity and other features not p ossible to incorporate into move passive media such-as the hardcopy newspap er. From a survey of UK and US news providers it is clear that American new spapers are exploiting the advantages of web information dissemination to a far greater extent than their British counterparts, with the notable excep tion of The Electronic Telegraph. UK broadcasters, however generally appear to have adapted better to the new medium, with the BBC rivaling CNN in its depth and extent of news coverage, use of links and other elements.