A study by the Bivings Group on newspapers and the Internet in the US shows how cautiously legacy media are approaching the web.
The study (PDF) quantified the online features of the top 100 newspapers in the USA in 2008. Some features, such as blogs and RSS feeds are commonplace.
But there is less uptake of features such as social networking or user-generated content, or let alone reinventing themselves online.
Only 10% of newspapers offered social networking tools, such as user profiles and the ability to friend others. Even though this is low, it is still an increase from 5% in 2007.
Similarly more newspapers are experimenting with user-generated content but largely when it comes to photos. The study found that 58% allowed for user generated photos. Only 18% accepted video and 15% took content written by the audience.
This is hardly surprising as mainstream media tend to use user content to complement their newsgathering, such as providing photos from the scene of breaking news.
The space for written content is provided through comments on stories. The number of newspaper websites allowing users to comment on articles has more than doubled in the last year.
Now 75% accept article comments in some form, compared to 33% in 2007. This indicates that newspapers are comfortable with readers discussing the work of professional journalists, once the story is published.
But there appears to be less of an inclination into letting the audience into the journalistic process.
Bivings concluded:
Newspapers are trying to improve their web programs and aggressively experimenting with a variety of new features. However, having actually reviewed all these newspaper websites it is hard not to be left with the impression that the sites are being improved incrementally on the margins. Newspapers are focused on improving what they already have, when reinvention may be what is necessary in order for the industry to come out of the current crisis on the other side.
Filed under: blogs, journalism, newspapers, social networking, user-generated content , Bivings

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This post is slightly off topic, but it relates to issues of technology, copyright and social media.

November 14, 2008 • 7:33 pm 9
BBC sees blog comments as activity of a ‘vocal minority’
Image via Wikipedia
There’s somewhat of a contradiction in the latest posting on the BBC’s Editors Blog by Helen Boaden, director of BBC News.
Introducing the post, she writes:
The speech gives an overview of the BBC’s approach to citizen journalism.
But even though Boaden says she wants to hear “what you think”, she appears to be dismissive of the people who comment on blogs.
Talking about the remarkable traffic to BBC News blogs- 1.5m page views for Nick Robinson, 2.5m for Justin Webb and almost 8m for Robert Peston – she says:
She goes on to say that “those who join in the debate are by definition a vocal minority. They certainly have a place in a vibrant and impartial news environment but they need to be kept in perspective.”
There are certainly some people who will write abusive comments. These people have always existed. But to label everyone who has left a comment on a blog as a “vocal minority” is such a sweeping statement.
And this does not seem to be a way to encourage more people to comment in any case. To its credit, The Editors’ Blog has allowed comments such as this one from Junkkmale:
It would be interesting to find out how many people are registered to comment on BBC blogs and see a breakdown of volume of comments to see if it is, indeed, a ‘vocal minority’.
Perhaps the tone would be different if BBC bloggers engaged in the conversation themselves by responding to comments. Some newspaper sites have been successful in fostering communities on their blogs.
In any case, what about the thousands of people who complained to the BBC about the Brand and Ross prank calls? Were these voices, some argue whipped up by the press, more valid than the 33,000 people who commented on the BBC’s Have Your Say page?
Clearly there are issues in handling comments, and some research suggests that comments can impact how people view a news story. But dismissing those who try to engage in the news process is not a constructive way of fostering a conversation.
You’re welcome to comment on this post, as I would value your thoughts.
Filed under: BBC, blogging, citizen journalism, journalism, user-generated content , BBC, blogs, comments, Helen Boaden, Robert Peston