Twinkle Twinkle, empty Star

Kansas City Star:

Pros:
Structure of the home page directs the user’s eye to the information he/she needs. The center text contains headings with links to stories in those categories. There is an obvious hierarchy of information. The left hand side of the page presents navigation tools. The right hand “gutter” contains pure advertisements. No horizontal scrolling is necessary, and all the most important sections are contained “above the fold” (to use newspaper-speak), or in the original screen, so the reader doesn’t have to scroll down.

The website maintains consistency throughout, with the name at the top, which links back to the home page. There is also a button to subscribe and the local weather at the top of each page. The navigation tools on the left hand remain consistent, as well.

I like the search function at the top of each page, as well. By clicking on a different circle, users can search recent news, archives or the web. I think this feature is useful and I like the way they put it to use.

Cons:
None of the content is available online!! What a tease. It seems as though you can access articles online, but you’re only prompted to subscribe. Actually, one section “Community faces” was available, but come on! And another link, which appeared to be the top story, actually opened up a new window with a blog in it. I thought it was going to be an article. [On closer inspection, it seems the content is free, if you signup for the service. Since I'm familiar with other newspapers asking for money to subscribe to acess online content, I just assumed it would cost money and gave up. I think most people would.]

Besides content, what this site lacks is contrast. From the heading at the top to the text at the center to the navigation tools on the left, everything appears as text on a white background. Although some of the text is black and some is white, I think different colored backgrounds may help separate these different sections. The lines between them don’t do enough to help us differentiate them.

It’s funny that the site uses red type to link to stories, since the color came up so often in the discussion threads for JOMC 221. In certain cultures, red symbolizes wealth and prosperity, while in others it signifies death. I would argue, however, that the Kansas City Star is most likely writing for an American audience.

I suppose this site is helpful for those who have online subscriptions to the newspaper, but for those of us who don’t, it’s extremely frustrating. And, if I was living in Kansas City, I don’t think I’d be tempted to subscribe to a site like this. I don’t know. It doesn’t seem very inviting or useful.