The CNN redesign

The CNN redesign is an interesting one. It certainly adds some color and art elements to the page while giving a feeling of organization and simplicity. I think it's a good decision to reduce the number of headlines in the "Latest News" section at the top, while adding more headlines to the boxes labeled by topic lower on the page. I think it makes it easier to find stories in the topics that interest you. Putting a video clip at the top center of the page also makes a lot of sense. CNN is a television news organization; video reports are their bread and butter, they should be prominent on the page.

I got a bit of a chuckle when I listened to CNN's video introduction of their new design. It talks about the "breathtaking photography" that you'll find on the page. Where? The small square picture at the top of the left column? Not much space to showcase anything "breathtaking."

I think the attempts to allow people to individualize the site are convenient, if not anything groundbreaking. One thing the Guardian article points out is that the site "won't focus too much on new social media features." While that might seem a it odd, it makes sense. Connect with people via social media offsite -- at the social media sites. I don't believe people go to news/information sites to sign up for more networks. Go to them and use the networks they already have.