Could it be that Web 2.0 has finally come of age? We ask because more and more mainstream media channels seem to be taking advantage of the bells and whistles of a more interactive web while still catering to a broad and diverse audience.
JavaScript is no longer a dirty word - just ask the BBC
Could it be that Web 2.0 has finally come of age? We ask because more and more mainstream media channels seem to be taking advantage of the bells and whistles of a more interactive web, while still catering to a broad and diverse audience.
The clearest example of this is the BBC’s trial of ‘in-page’ links, where content from external sites is shown in a simple overlay on the user’s current page, rather than sending the user away to the external site.
Does the broadcaster think that general levels of web literacy among its audiences - everyone from school kids to septuagenarians - has increased?
Although the concept of ‘lightboxing’ content is nothing new, it’s interesting to see the BBC dipping their toe deeper into Web 2.0 waters given that the roll-out of new technologies could confuse or alienate sections of its enormous user base.
Perhaps the lesson here is more in line with the history of luxury cars, namely that whatever is at the forefront of technology today will be seen in the most basic models is a few short years time.
The shiny, gradient-filled world of Web 2.0 start-ups may have created and popularised these new techniques, but now we are seeing them reach a maturity after being adopted by the more strategic and measured players in online.
One exciting outcome of the BBC’s trial could be to make news even more accessible and engaging for 16-25 year-olds.
The degree of interest and access that people have to current affairs can fluctuate throughout their lives. Those with a renewed interest can, it could be said, be easily put off by seemingly impenetrable back stories.
Assuming this audience has to play catch-up with articles that assumes prior knowledge of news events, the baffled reader will either need to invest extra time researching legacy terms in previous articles or external sources, or abandon their interest completely.
In-page links are an invaluable tool for periodic or fledgling media consumers; giving them a comprehensive understanding of the story, without disrupting an article’s flow for the more conversant audience.