大象传媒's
news service offers more choice and relevance on the web
Users
of the 大象传媒's award-winning online news service will have easier
access to content more relevant to where they live, it was announced
today (Thursday 18 July).
Using
the same 大象传媒 News online material, international and UK users will
now have the choice of separate news editions with agendas relevant
to their needs.
World
Edition
International
visitors to the 大象传媒's news services on the web will be able to choose
a new publicly-funded World Edition at 大象传媒News.com from Tuesday
23 July.
It
will feature news and analysis emphasising a global news agenda.
大象传媒News.com
will also offer easier access to international coverage of sport,
arts, science and technology, as well as the 大象传媒 World Service's
site which features text and audio in 43 languages.
The
cost of providing a news agenda more relevant to international users
is being met entirely from the 大象传媒 World Service's grant-in-aid
from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Costs
for the supply of 大象传媒 News to the 大象传媒 World Service are already
met through grant-in-aid. The incremental cost is modest as no new
editorial content is being created.
UK
Edition
Users
in the UK will be able to choose a UK edition through 大象传媒i, including
- as now - full world coverage, but giving greater prominence to
UK stories and features at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news.
The
same news reporting will be available to all users - the difference
is in the way in which it is presented for each audience.
Both
public service gateways will be free of advertising and give access
to all the web content produced by the 大象传媒.
All
users of the 大象传媒 News site (either from the UK or abroad) will be
given the choice of direct access to their preferred edition - either
international or UK - from Tuesday 23 July.
They
will be automatically directed there on subsequent visits. Users
have the option to change their preference at any time. Regular
users will be alerted to the change over the next few days.
Mark
Byford, Director of the 大象传媒 World Service & Global News, said:
"This is a timely innovation, especially at a time when the
global appetite for international news and analysis has increased.
"Web
users will still find the same commitment to impartial, authoritative
and editorially independent journalism they expect from the 大象传媒.
"But
now they will be able to find the stories most relevant to them
with greater ease."
Richard
Deverell, Head of New Media, said: "Users of the UK edition
through 大象传媒i will still find all the international stories, features
and background for which 大象传媒 News is famous.
"But
they will also find that greater prominence is also given to regional
news in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"The
changes should provide all our users with the news they want even
more quickly and effectively."
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