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posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday December 26 2017, @02:27AM   Printer-friendly
from the we're-on-the-leading-edge-of-1997 dept.

Submitted via IRC for Bytram

A few days before Hurricane Irma hit South Florida, I received a query on Twitter from a graphic designer named Eric Bailey.

"Has anyone researched news sites capability to provide low-bandwidth communication of critical info during crisis situations?" he asked.

The question was timely — two days later, CNN announced that they created a text-only version of their site with no ads or videos.

The same week, NPR began promoting its text-only site, text.npr.org on social media as a way for people with limited Internet connectivity during Hurricane Irma to receive updated information.

These text-only sites — which used to be more popular in the early days of the Internet, when networks were slower and bandwidth was at a premium – are incredibly useful, and not just during natural disasters. They load much faster, don't contain any pop-ups or ads or autoplay videos, and help people with low bandwidth or limited Internet access. They're also beneficial for people with visual impairments who use screen readers to navigate the Internet. (Related: Designing Journalism Products for Accessibility.)

Source: https://www.poynter.org/news/text-only-news-sites-are-slowly-making-comeback-heres-why


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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by bradley13 on Tuesday December 26 2017, @07:45AM (2 children)

    by bradley13 (3053) on Tuesday December 26 2017, @07:45AM (#614238) Homepage Journal

    Yes! Text-based news sites - what a relief that could be... Could be.

    CNN, unfortunately, isn't really much of a news site. Looking at their current list of main stories, we have 3 stories bashing Trump, 3 stupid articles (the Frozen musical is one of *the* events to look forward to in 2018), 2 stories about bus accidents in random countries (huh?) and no less than five articles suggesting New Year's resolutions. Yep, that's "breaking news", wow.

    NPR is a marginally better: there is one actual story about important news (Putin shutting out his potential opponent in the upcoming elections), well hidden among the progressive propaganda pieces and stories about Hollyweird.

    Get some real news organizations to publish this way - that would be a relief. CNN and NPR clearly don't qualify.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @02:28PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @02:28PM (#614296)

    CNN [...] we have 3 stories bashing accurately reporting on Trump

    FTFY

  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @04:03PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @04:03PM (#614328)

    (the Frozen musical is one of *the* events to look forward to in 2018)

    That has the wretched stench of a paid product placement.