Bmwolf21 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 rant Why the heck can't someone at the Buffalo News figure out how to post the gamenight preview so that the columns line up, the headings don't run together, and it DOESN'T look like crap? I mean really, is it that hard to set up a table for that story? /rant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGM Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 As someone who works with web programming professionally, I can tell you that it IS that hard, but only if you are a lazy clown that doesn't care about not doing things half-assed. Absent that, it is quite easy, and the same template could be used again and again for those types of articles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JujuFish Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Ha. I was just thinking about posting the exact same rant. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 As someone who works with web programming professionally, I can tell you that it IS that hard, but only if you are a lazy clown that doesn't care about not doing things half-assed. Absent that, it is quite easy, and the same template could be used again and again for those types of articles. GGM, I didn't mean to insinuate that it would be easy to do it, but what you said - that if they set it up once, they could keep using the same page/table template over & over. It just surprises me that they haven't done it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGM Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 GGM, I didn't mean to insinuate that it would be easy to do it, but what you said - that if they set it up once, they could keep using the same page/table template over & over. It just surprises me that they haven't done it... I thought I was the one that insinuated (or basically just said sarcastically, lol) that it was easy...Hope you didn't think that you offended me in any way! :thumbsup: I just meant that whoever was in charge over there would only find it hard if he/she was a "lazy clown". In reality, though...A lot of those webmasters are overworked (and understaffed) and may have bigger fish to fry on any given day. Still, we're talking about an hour of work that will make your website look more professional in perpetuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetweenThePipes00 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 It would be easy if they actually had a web professional, which I doubt they do. They probably have a mostly automated system that takes their text and feeds it into web pages. They probably have one person monitoring the whole on-line paper, and it's probably not their whole job. For most papers, their website is a necessary evil and far from a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbert1175 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 I've heard that the owners of the Bflo News really don't care too much about their internet site, and therefore don't expend too many resources towards it - although, I am sure someone could take a little time to create a new template for that page. It also sucks that they only update their site once a day - you would figure they would want to try and be THE place for internet-bound Buffalonioans to get their sports and other news, but alas, it's not to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGM Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 It would be easy if they actually had a web professional, which I doubt they do. They probably have a mostly automated system that takes their text and feeds it into web pages. They probably have one person monitoring the whole on-line paper, and it's probably not their whole job. For most papers, their website is a necessary evil and far from a priority. I agree...No one (not even the music industry) has been hurt more by the internet than newspapers. Essentially, they have to give their content away for free or risk alienating their entire subscription base. The net was a no-win for newspapers unless they all decided to charge for content. Back when this whole "news on the net" thing started, charging would have defeated the purpose having an internet "subscription" in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Gilbert, just from browsing their website, it's pretty that the News places little value in their online edition. I have said the same thing countless times - how can you be THE news source for Buffalo/Western New York and not update your site with breaking news throughout the day? It is unfathomable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGM Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 It also sucks that they only update their site once a day - you would figure they would want to try and be THE place for internet-bound Buffalonioans to get their sports and other news, but alas, it's not to be. This part annoys me the most. What other "big" city updates their news once a day, and at 9am at that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetweenThePipes00 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 This part annoys me the most. What other "big" city updates their news once a day, and at 9am at that? Sad to say but Buffalo has not been a "big" city for many years. Besides, most people, even on this board, don't trust the News and don't believe anything they say, so why update it more with made up stories? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Besides, most people, even on this board, don't trust the News and don't believe anything they say, so why update it more with made up stories? :lol: :lol: :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Seats Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 The News doesn't handle their website... a company in East Aurora does it for them with raw data provided by BN. They do not prioritize the website (as evidenced by the lack of bloggers or the ability to comment on stories, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightrider Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I've heard that the owners of the Bflo News really don't care too much about their internet site, and therefore don't expend too many resources towards it - although, I am sure someone could take a little time to create a new template for that page. It also sucks that they only update their site once a day - you would figure they would want to try and be THE place for internet-bound Buffalonioans to get their sports and other news, but alas, it's not to be. The Buffalo News didn't even go online till September of 1999. Seems like I remember Warren Buffet saying that it wasn't worth doing since it would not make money. The site hasn't changed much since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetweenThePipes00 Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 The Buffalo News didn't even go online till September of 1999. Seems like I remember Warren Buffet saying that it wasn't worth doing since it would not make money. The site hasn't changed much since then. Well in a lot of ways he is right ... it's tough to make a go of it on just advertising revenue when you are not offering anything different than what is in the paper ... to offer more, you have to invest more, and even then the ad revenue might not be much in a market with a struggling economy ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightrider Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Well in a lot of ways he is right ... it's tough to make a go of it on just advertising revenue when you are not offering anything different than what is in the paper ... to offer more, you have to invest more, and even then the ad revenue might not be much in a market with a struggling economy ... Not quite. There might not have been any money in it in the near term. However, how much damage has been done to the paper's overall reputation? Who has replaced Larry Felser? Jim Kelley? Vic Carucci? The Buffalo News no longer has the information monopoly it once had once the Courier Express folded. Why is it you can get more up to date info on Buffalo sports from the Boston Globe, WGR, or even the Albany Times Useless? You know, I get up at around 5AM and have usually read the morning news by 5:30 or so. On my wireless PDA. It even works on the can. And I don't have to go outside to get it. My point? The newspaper is going the way of the film camera. The market changes, and those that don't lead those changes eventually get trampled. Or they leave messes to their heirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetweenThePipes00 Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 You know, I get up at around 5AM and have usually read the morning news by 5:30 or so. On my wireless PDA. It even works on the can. And I don't have to go outside to get it. Well yeah but would you pay to have the Buffalo News delivered to your PDA by 5 a.m.? Somehow I doubt it, because like you said, you can get the info elsewhere. So why should they invest money to fight a losing battle? We are looking at this from the narrow sports view. The Buffalo News DOES still have a monopoly on just about every other kind of information people in Buffalo want and need. Not to mention the average age of people in Buffalo (and much of the northeast) is just getting older and those people are much more comfortable with a newspaper in their hands instead of a PDA. My point? The newspaper is going the way of the film camera. The market changes, and those that don't lead those changes eventually get trampled. Or they leave messes to their heirs. Of course, you are right. I'm not saying they are taking the correct strategy to still be THE source 20 years from now. I don't think they care ... they will milk the newspaper for all they can and then be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 This formatting screwup also applies to many articles at the Buffalo News website. :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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