The local website I chose was the33tv.com. I like the site, and it doesn’t surprise me the CW would have a website a little more up to date than perhaps some of its more traditional competitors. The station is, after all, a niche station looking to claim as many youthful viewers as possible. And youth reads the web.
The site is constructed in the web 2.0 format, with the main categorical links located on a bar across the top of the page, rather than down the side. The front page has a colorful photo on the left and ad space on the right. The bottom of the page has sub-headlines and other links. The bottom-right has a “Most viewed” and “Most e-mailed” section.
The site has a couple of characteristics I found very interesting. The main stories scroll on the front page, changing out the site main photo. Adjacent to the photo are all the main story link with photos or video. A prominent ad is actually a commercial for the CW’s own programming, which was a nice example of synergy. The site’s information is broken down into user-friendly categories like Popular Photo Galleries, National and World News, The 33 Exclusives, Entertainment Headlines, Offbeat News, and Sports Headlines.
Below these are actually link to the website of local competitors WFAA, KTVT, KXAS and KDFW. As well as local newspaper sites and even TMZ and Maxim.
I like the format on the page where the video plays, however there is an extreme amount of white space below the player.
I also like the way the site intermingled the ad and stories. The transition is fluid down the right hand side going from links to twitter and facebook to an ad about a university.
