Multiple Entry Points a Plus

The main way in which CNN has made a significant improvement over its former web presence is in clearly establishing multiple points of access to the stories it is offering. The first way in which this becomes apparent is in the extended navbar, but two other means are actually more interesting and useful. The separation of "latest news" into multiple categories of stories (technology, national and international news, etc.) is a major improvement, in that addition to the list of latest stories, it gives another point of entry based on topical interest. The most exciting difference in my opinion, though, is the NewsPulse, which not only presents recently breaking stories, but allows the user to interactively sort them based on popularity, category, and the time frame in which they happened. This feature gives those using the site a much more significant way in which to use the interface to locate relevant content, rather than simply being attracted to or intrigued by certain stories, whether the information in them is at all related to one's reasons for going to the site. This suggests that while the stories remain curated in a sense, there is more agency being exercised by the searcher in displaying the content in the context of an information-related goal, rather than simply general interest. One rather small criticism I have as a side note is that the way in which the main advertisements on the main page align with the feature stories, drawing your eye to them despite the fact that they are not actually news items. While logical as an advertising approach, it is a little irksome in its deceptiveness.