Web Page Design and Graphic Use of three U.S. Newspapers

Abstract

A content analysis of three U.S. Internet newspapers has found that Internet newspapers gave more priority to providing textual information than graphic information, and large graphics were more likely to appear on homepages than on frontpages and news article pages. The news links and the multiple communication channels adopted by Internet newspapers in web page design created a new environment of communication, involving more than host newspaper and initial audience. With interconnected links, the traditional one-to-many newspaper publishing process turned into many-to-many communication centered with and facilitated by the host Internet newspapers. The interconnected news links brought in audience participation in producing newspaper content and providing information beyond the original newspaper content, which demonstrates a shift of balance of communicative power from sender to receiver.