Previous Paper Next Paper Contents ANALYSING OF THE TURKISH NEWS SITES. Abstract. HALİL İBRAHİM GÜRCAN, Ph.D. Anadolu University (Turkey)

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1 Previous Paper Next Paper Contents ANALYSING OF THE TURKISH NEWS SITES HALİL İBRAHİM GÜRCAN, Ph.D. Anadolu University (Turkey) Abstract Internet, disseminating of the new communication environment quickly, has become an important part of the daily life. In that case, news sites which are supported daily and last minute news that it becomes an important news environment, internet users prefer to get news from online media. Turkish news sites have developed on the paralel way according to developing of the internet. Turkish media has started to publish online version in the internet in 1995, first Turkish online newspaper published in 1996, after following years, number of online newspapers has been increased. Anadolu Ajansi that is official Turkish news agency, has been serving news to the most of news sites which these news is not full text but summarised. In 2002, the number of the Turkish online news sites is more than 50. Thinking of the internet users which are estimated 3 million, the high number of news sites can be seen a main problem of in this scope. There are two kind of Turkish news sites, one is organisational news sites which work like a professional organisation, the other news sites is ameteur sites which are published for personal interest and performance. Most of these sites present last minute news on the other news sites windows, however the most of them get news from the Anadolu Ajansi. In this study, it is analysed in general according to web evaluation criterias on almost 50 news sites.

2 ANALYSING OF THE TURKISH NEWS SITES Introduction Turkey was connected to internet in April 12, Firstly, Aktuel magazine appeared on the net in July 1995 and Leman magazine in October First newspaper find place on the net was Zaman daily newspaper which started to online publishing in December 2, January 1996, first online news sites which was named Xn started to publishing and it has continued 1,5 years. In 1997, most of the Turkish dailies started to publish online versions.(gurcan, 1999a: 45). In chronological view, Turkish press published online versions since these days: Zaman 2 Dec 1995 Turkish Daily News 19 May 1996 Türkiye 9 Nov Milliyet 27 Nov Fanatik 25 Dec Hürriyet 1 Jan Sabah 1 Jan Aksam 15 Eylül 1997 Günes 2 Apr Cumhuriyet 7 May 1998 Milli Gazete 3 Oct Star 11 March 1999 (Gurcan, 1999b). Analysing of news sites in this study, it was applied to evaluation criterias. These criterias consist of six main groups which are; site accessibility, general appearance, easy use, content, technical features and organisational knowledge. (Everhart, 2002; Kapoun, 1998, Alexander & Tate, 2002). There are 55 news sites in Turkish. (Gurcan & Batu, 2002). Lots of them (about 35 sites) are not professional publishing and organisational structure and these continue publication at personal interest and performance. It can be said that these sites are amateur news sites. Amateur news sites are counted 35 out of 55 news sites. The rest of the news sites in 55, are working professional manner and they employed professionals like editors and web designers. 3-8 editors and 2-4 web designers can be employed in Turkish news sites. Editors and web designers work in day and in night that it means 24 hours a day. As other communication media, internet publishing needs to get advertising for to be in life in the publishing. All expencess are paid and supported from this income, So, paid salary to editors, web designer and web masters, news sites must get enough income. According to getting income, number of workings can be changed from a news site to another sites. 204

3 In Turkish news sites, amateurs are getting news from the other news sites instead of subscribing to a news agency. Professional news sites subscribe to news agencies which most of them have allready subscribed to Anadolu Agency and İhlas News Agency. Anadolu Agency gives special news service to news sites which consists of the give news in brief not in depth. Anadolu Agency serve news to sites at spot news that it means, it includes heading, spot and flash sentences. Anadolu Agency also serve photographs to news sites, may be some news instead of all news and this service is for main and heading news. Findings and Comment In this study, it was tried to examine 10 sites out of 55. Assumed that these news sites are publishing as professional. These sites (without haberturk.com) have no other communication medium and almost all giving last minute news in their own navigation window. Haberturk.com is an example of news sites that a news site created own television and newspaper. 10 Turkish news sites are examined in this study which are: Haber3.com, Haberx.com, Haberajans.com, Imedya.com, Habermetre.com, Objektifhaber.com, Internethaber.com, Nethaber.com, Haberturk.com, Netgazete.com. Applied to criterias, in the group of site accessibility, all sites show easy accessibilty. It means that, site name and reach the homepage are goot enough but downloading time range is expanding from 20 seconds to 85 seconds. This time range depends on the number of photos and graphics used on the page and also length of the homepage. Site map is useful on web sites. User can be reach where he wants. In this analyse, found that none of the Turkish news sites use site map and has no any link from homepage to site map page. On the other hand, internet user can be reach to sections, like economy, sport, life, political, last minute news and so on, clicking by related links. It can be seen that these sections can be useful to navigate in the news site. So, it can be assumed that, these sections links behavior like site map and give easy navigation to user. In the Turkish news sites, second group questions are examined in appearences that are about almost web design. General appearences, easy usability, colours, background, using Turkish characters and page margins in all sites are reasonably good. Page length of the sites can vary by clicking down the homepage from 3 to 21 clicks. Also, photo and graphic uses can vary from 1 to 14 photo, depends on the news site design. Font usage is focused on Arial and Verdana mainly. So nonserif fonts are preferred on the sites. Interactivity, like message board, questionaire, is not covered all sites. 4 news sites out of 10 use this function, especially questionaire that is almost covered national and political subjects. Only one site has visible visitor counter. Nethaber gives daily total visitor number and the others don t put visible visitor counter on homepage. So, it is impossible to say visitor number of news sites. 205

4 Thirdly, it was found that, there is not any problem to return to homepage from news page, because many sites open a new window for news pages and these new window has closing button. So it be maintain to keep same homepage on the same window. On the homepages and related sections pages, all links work well, it means that there is not any blind link. Search in the site opportunity is using in 8 sites. Only 5 news sites have archieve which is not good level for Turkish news sites. Archieve is useful for internet users and it must be in news sites. Print and send friend buttons are using on 6 sites, especially not on homepage but on news pages. These buttons give to users easy print-out or send it someone opportunity. Infact, navigator programs have print and send tools. To use these buttons on the page give to user easy operating options. Forth group guestions which consist of 38 questions in 6 subgroups, are about content. News sites content are different from the other kind of sites. Because news sites contents change frequently during a day. It was counted that, news sites change their homepage in every 4 to 15 minutes. 6 sites out of 10 don t show updating time on homepage. News pages are not durable and fixed but flexible content. News sites use on homepages from 26 to 110 news. All news sites present last minute news, either on homepage or on a new window. 8 sites out of 10 have individual articles but authors qualifications are not clear. Because, most authors of articles are not populer writers or journalists. In the news sites can be seen from 2 to 10 advertisements and these are clearly seperated from the news contents. It was not found any links to news sources which is mentioned in the news. So this is not good for hypertext option. Almost all news presented in the sites show to be applied editorial process. News pages are right to grammer, punctuation, spelling and news writing techniques. This may depend on getting news from news agency directly and put on publishing automatically. Identification tag of news sites must be on a page that ensure to users reliability of news. But 4 site out of 10 have no any identification tag. According to data shown below, 8 sites out of 10 have more than 40 yes and around the 20 no answers. 2 sites out of 10, have 34 answers yes and 30 answers no. This findings show that Turkish news sites are resonable good. Below, the table shows and summarize to positions of Turkish news sites. 206

5 Site Address : 3 X AJANS IMEDYA METRE OBJEKTİF INTERNET NET TURK NET GAZETE 1. SITE ACCESSIBLITY Easy accessiblity of news site Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Downloding time ( bps connection in second) Site map & sections N &Y N &Y N & Y N &Y N & Y N &Y N & Y N & Y N & Y N & Y 2. GENERAL APPEARANCE General appearence of homepage (Best- Good-Fair) G F G F G G G G G G Easy usabilty of homepage Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Colour usage in pages G G G G G G G G G G Background colour G G G G G G G G G G Conformity between pages G G G F G G G G G G Support of Turkish characters Y Y Y? Y Y Y Y Y Y Page length (click number) Page margins (appropriate, nonapp.) Font usage and easy readabilty Photo usage in news (P:photo, G: graphic) A A A A n/a A A A A A Verd ana 11P, 4 G Arial, Times 12 P, 10 G Arial Arial, Verd ana 5 P, 4 G 10P, 2G Verdan a, Arial Arial Verda na Genev a, Arial 8 P, 14P, 3G 9P, 1G 7P, 14G Arial Verdan a, Arial 3P, 11G 1P Functions of the butons in page Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Message board and questionnaire N Y N N Y Y Y N N N Density of icon and banner on pages Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Visitor counter N N N N Y N N Y N N 3. EASY USABILITY Difficulties to access from homepage to news pages Links and accessiblity between pages N N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Search in the site N Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Archieve and accessible of it N Y N N Y Y N Y N Y Search word, date or news N Y N? Y Y Y Y Y Y Print opportunity from pages N Y Y Y N Y Y N Y N Language selection N N N N N N N N N N Y : Yes, N : No. 207

6 4. CONTENT A. AUTHORITY Is it clear who is responsible for the contents of the page Is there a link to a page describing publishing goals N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N N Are pages appropriate to goals? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the news site (is there a phone number or postal address to contact for more information simply an address is not enough) Is there any other sister publishing or broadcasting medium from this news sites Is agenda following as a last minute Number of news (and news links) on homepage N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N -- N N N N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 41 news (5 article 72 news (10 article) To see news summary on a page Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y News in groups (economy, life, sport etc.) If the page contains an individual article, who wrote the article is known. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y -- B. ACCURACY Is it clear to news source (news agency or retrieved from other sites) Getting news from the first news sources? News can be confirmed from other sources? Can be seen editorial process on the news? Get clean from the mistakes of grammer, spelling or writing Authors qualifications for article writing N Y Y Y Y N N Y N N? Y (aa )? Y (aa, iha) Y (iha, imaj haber) Y Y (aa, iha) Y (aa,iha) Y Y (iha) Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y? Y Y Y Y? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N? -- --?? Y Y -- C. OBJECTIVITY Number of advertisement on homepage Is the informational content clearly separated from the advertising & opinion content? Are the editorials & opinion pieces clearly labeled? Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N -- Y Y Y Y Y N -- aa: Anadolu Agency, iha: Ihlas News Agency Character mistakes in Turkish 208

7 D. COVERAGE Is there links to source which is mentioned in news? If news site has print version, is it as a sample of it? Is interactive page, like a forum page? Speacial research document/news is available Given any other subjects out from news Questionaire, test or other opportunity for internet users Game, hobies, e-sales or other interesting subject is available E. CURRENCY N N N N N N N N N N ? -- N N Y Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y N N N N N N Y N N Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N Y N Y Y N Updating time (approx.) 15? Is it shown to updating information? N N Y N Y Y N Y N N Given daily news Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Given last minute news Y Y Y Y Y? Y Y? Y F. NEWS WRITING RULES & LANGUAGE USES Is news appropriate to writing rules? News structure is appropriate easy and clear understanding Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y P.Y. Y Is the uses of grammer right? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Is the uses of punctuation right? Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Is there spelling mistakes? N Y Y N N N N N Y N Is there long & incomplete sentences? N N N N N N N N Y N Is news given with all details? P.Y P. Y P. Y P.Y P.Y P.Y P.Y P.Y? P.Y News is following to sequence heading, spot and news story. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y 5. TECHNICAL FEATURES Are all links work? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Links are opened as a new navigation page? N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Easy return to homepage Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Information for monitor resolution Small software supports (as java, applets etc) N N Y N N N Y N N N? N N N N N N N N N Feedback button and link N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N User can send news as a reporter. P.Y : Partly Yes 209

8 Print-out button N Y Y Y N Y Y N Y N To send this news to friend ( ) button N Y Y Y N Y Y N Y N To add frequently using button N N Y Y N N N N Y N Frequently asked questions page N N N N N N N N N N Other useful sites links N N Y Y Y N N N N Y 6. ORGANISATIONAL INFORMATION Identification tag of news site N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y N Copyright information of site Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y? , telephone and postal address for internet users Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Conclusion According to December 2002, there were 55 news sites on the net and these were only published on internet. Number of online news sites greatly increased after 2000, because of the economic crisis in the country, affected to media organisations as well. This crisis caused by decreasing employed journalists in media. Unemployed journalist started to publish news sites in 2000 and number of news sites suddenly increased to 35 sites. Some of these sites took into consideration with against this media employees or barons. And also lots of them retrieved news from other sites or newspapers online versions without having subsription on a news agency. In this study, it was tried to examine Turkish news sites in general perspective. Internet is a new medium and developing day by day. Turkish news sites are changing, putting new things according to this developments. So, found data is changable from today to tomorrow. References Alexander J. & Tate M. (2002). How to recognize a news web page, Cornell University, Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages, Everhart, N. (2002). Web Page Evaluation Worksheet, Gurcan, H. I. (1999). Online Journalism. Eskisehir: Anadolu University Publication. Gurcan, H. I (1999). Online newspaper practices in Turkey, Bilisim 99, İstanbul: Tüyap Beylikdüzü, Akdeniz 2 Hall, 16 Dec Gurcan, H.I. & Batu, Ç. (2002). A Content Quality Analysis of News Sites, VIII. Internet Conference in Turkey, İstanbul: Askeri Müze, Red Hall, 19 December Kapoun, J. (1998).ʺTeaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction.ʺ C&RL News (July/August 1998): Previous Paper Next Paper Contents 210