There have been similar websites / concepts but these were based on earlier technologies, typically the mobile phone using MMS, they could never provide the comprehensive service now offered by the newer technology Internet news sites.
Mobile Phone Technology
Whilst mobile phones were successful for sending news and pictures, for example the Tsunami in Thailand, the mobile phone network often cannot cope with the volume of traffic during such an event. Networks were overwhelmed with people trying to phone friends or relatives to see if they were safe.
Within a very time of the London Bombings, mobile phone networks were unable to cope and the situation was made worse by people continually pressing re-dial.
Phone networks expect a certain volume of traffic based on the number of people who have subscribed to that network; the internet works on a different principle and so does not cease to function efficiently during a time of increased communication.
Breaking News
The speed at which breaking news hits the internet cannot be bettered as it only takes few a minutes for a user / reporter to send news in 3 easy steps:-
1. Click to write & report news
2. Add videos, photos & tags
3. Login or register to submit
Coverage of a UK based Internet News Website is typically:-
- London and the Southwest
- N Ireland
- North
- North East
- North West
- Scotland
- Wales
- South West
- Midlands
- European and World Coverage.
There may also be other tabs for Travel news, entertainment, sport, business, politics, technology. New websites using Content Management Systems like Drupal (used by the White House) can easily cope with vast amounts of information.
News from any country in the world can be put on the website as easily and quickly as regional news, and the user can read the news they are interested in at the click of a button.
This contrasts to 24 hour news on the Television, where the viewer has to see news that may not be relevant to them while they wait for the news item that they are interested in. If they tune in to the same 24 hour news channel 30 minutes later, they may notice that some of the news is on a sort of loop, and they have to watch the same story again, even though they were disinterested in it the first time around.
24 hours news, the Ipad and mobile Internet Devices
The internet is now the best medium for breaking 24 hour news because of the increasingly widespread use of mobile internet devices. Examples are the Ipad, tablet pc’s, notebooks and the latest generation of mobile phone with fast and efficient internet access.
Today’s young professional increasingly use internet news sites at home and work. They can quickly zoom in on items of news, business or travel and then move on to the next item in their busy schedule.
Conclusion
When large numbers of consumers bought and used mobile phones either in addition to their fixed lines or as an alternative to having a fixed phone line, it affected the way we communicate. It is expected that as large numbers of consumers buy and use mobile internet devices in addition to, or as an alternative to their ‘fixed line’ (broadband or network at work / University), there will be increased use of highly successful people powered 24 hour breaking news internet sites.