LA Observed
Monday, October 10, 2011
In order to “analyze” this blog/website, I need to create
some categories.
Columns
Headlines
Style/Layout
Information
Prioritization
Writing
Headlines:
I expected a headline on the Column One section – and all I
got was a
Morning Buzz. What does that mean?
Morning Buzz. What does that mean?
However, I am interested in the , “If you missed it . . .”
stuff.
Villaraigosa
(that teeny-weeny schmuck) applauds the Ca Dream Act – he would! Thinking of
running for Governor, you little shit?
Steve Jobs
was no friend to journalists… Really? Interesting. He was a real person, not a
journalists’ creation. All the better. More reason to admire him.
Nobel Peace
Prize -? Well, who cares? Obama got one. Really? That was it for me!
Brown
Vetoes Villaraigosa Bike Bill – Since when do Mayors of Cities become
Legislators?? The Mayor submitted a Bill to this f-d up legislature and it got
to the desk of the Governor?? Can we say ONE PARTY? (too many checks and no
balance)
Style: It took me
at least a good ten minutes to figure this thing out – and I am just above the
fold here. Too much noise on the splash
page, baby. Get rid of all that stuff and move it where its not clogging the
works up!
Otherwise, get some logical, sensible stuff up under a meaningful column header, not just a listing of tag terms and a meaningless title. But ok. I got it now.
Information: What
information? The weather? Nothing above the fold! Is that supposed to make me
look beyond the front page?? Because – I wouldn’t if it were not for the fact
that I have to for this assignment.
Prioritization:
That has already been discussed – see every other comment.
Writing . . . Well, for that, I have to look for it. There
is nothing written above the fold.
Columns
This is a 3-column blog site with a banner topper that has
navigational tabs and a search engine
Column 1 is the main column, which I determine because of
the width of the column and the info box at the top of it. In that info box are
photos and navigation tabs.
Beneath that is the Morning Buzz
Morning
Buzz – leaves me clueless as to what it is from above the fold. I am not
inclined to look further, either, because of what I see in the first graph. It
is a mish-mosh (technical word) of unrelated tags, most of which do not draw my
attention.
I am not
curious about Columbus Day closures. Gov. Brown’s ban on handguns may be a
liberal political hot button, but I am far more interested in illegals getting
preferential treatment in the California State University system when professors
have been laid off because of lack of funding and thousands of students have to
stretch their education to 5 or 6 years because of lack of availability of
courses needed to graduate. Out of state students are receiving preferential
admission because they pay more – oh, wait a minute – doesn’t that put those
same illegal aliens into that category of in-state tuition??? That means, I
guess, that those in-state tuition candidates will be accepted AFTER they fill
the out-of-state slots?? Hmm. Who benefitted from that??? Wow. Political coup,
Brown! Nice job!
But I digress; back to the analysis.
So the Column Left, then, is the main column, by an editor
who has a whole lot of ego-stroking going on there with his bio and his links
on that precious real estate above the fold.
I note that there are Follow/Like buttons taking up space as well. Not the best place to put them. Lots of that taking up the info space. Could be smaller, less prominent.
Column 2
Recaps of inside from previous dates and a lot of weather
info that is pretty irrelevant in California. (See Headlines) Also could be
smaller icons.
Column 3
A terrible photo of the World’s Most Unattractive Waterway,
the LA River; and a caption identifying it, but now, why there is a photo of it
on the front page, I have no idea. Confusing. And not enticing.
Next is a column by Mark Lacter, “Economic Narrative All
Bad. Reality Quite Different” That grabs my attention a bit. But being a
journalist, I find it hard to believe there is any good news out there.
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