PAHomePage.com online
PAHomePage.com, Nexstar's combined webpage for WBRE and WYOU, is finally up and running. The biggest change from the stations' individual websites is more news stories, and actual online video. The website is also heavy on weather, to the point that one tipster wondered if WBRE and WYOU's weather staff outnumbers their news staff.It's a good start, but will WBRE and WYOU continue putting a commitment into their new website? We'll have to wait and see.
posted by Howard Beale at 9:54 PM
10 Comments:
I thought Nexstar promised the next great web experience of the 21st century. PaHomePage.com obviously isn’t it. But since WNEP’s effort is so-so at best, at least ‘BRE and ‘YOU are finally in the running for the title “Best TV Station Website Based Within 25 Miles of Downtown Old Forge.”
Still, it leaves me with one big question about the weather.
No, not the question about how many Dave Kuharchiks there are. I see WBRE lists Dave as one of its seven meteorologists, and WYOU has him as one of its three. That’s TEN meteorologists, and Dave Kuharchik is TWO of them. But we know Perry Sook’s way with figures, right?
No, with two weather forecasts on the same site, my questions is simple: Which one is RIGHT?
A hypothetical for new General Manager Lou Abitabilo. Let’s say your have to drive to Rochester tomorrow for a meeting with Nexstar brass. Your career depends on it, and your trip depends on an accurate weather forecast. Which one do you rely on: WBRE’s “All Points AccuWeather?” or WYOU’s “No Wait Weather?” And why, since both buy their forecasts from a company based in State College, are they different anyway?
Only one can be right. Which would you stake your career on? Which do you think is the most reliable? Which is most accurate? Which is least—and why do you put it on your web page if it’s less accurate?
Unless—wait a minute, it just occurred to me—unless—omigawd this is rich—unless you still rely on WNEP’s “Stormtracker” as the best forecast in the market.
Say it ain’t so, Lou!
Important money says it will die of neglect like most everything else does with that outfit. Notice what little advertising the site contains. Maintaining a slick website has two purposes, 1)A strong web presence, an absolute necessity for success, 2)Generate revenue. My guess? No one wants to buy the site, and for the obvious reason; neither station has any viewers.
Oh, and this is one more minor note; the site itself is dull and unappealing. Yeah, that'll really turn things around.
So I'm looking over the new website, and at the bottom of every page they have a banner add that rotates. On the one page I was looking at it was "ads by Google" where Google picks four ads from our area and stickes them side by side. The first one said "WNEP TV Reporters." I clicked on it and it took me to www.tvspy.com to show people how to apply for a job at WNEP. I just found that absolutely hilarious.
Compare this site to the others in the Nexstar group doing the same thing (Rochester, for one), and it's clear they're still in the early stages with PAhomepage. The Rochester site is very impressive.
I do like the user-preference windows. Very neat.
And yes, WNEP's effort is certainly so-so at best. Yawn.
I took your advice and checked out WROC-TV's web site.
And?
You and I have very different definitions of "impressive" and "neat".
I also prefer my video to sync-up with audio... but i'm just old fashioned.
Also, where is good text when you need it? At least wnep tries to re-write stuff for the web better.
The navigation of this page is also horriable. Anyone over 40 would be lost. It's just too much for the paper bag.
My favorite are the links that POP UP other pages in a new window... like WYOU's interactive link. Talk about confusing the viewer!
And good points about weather 9:02am...
Hey, I'm over 40 by more than a few years, and I write code, know my tags, and I do design. I'm not lost at all by either of the Nexstar sites under discussion - but I do think they both suck. You could do just as well with a freebie from godaddy.com or build your own with Netscape.
Do you realize the time and effort that has gone into these sites? Yet there they sit with just about no advertising. And that, to be cliche, speaks volumes.
i second 3:59. i also work in web design and development. that site looks like a test site i'd build while evaluating the latest beta product. random features scattered throughout the site, menus in multiple places, promotional banners of several different sizes. it's certainly not the end result i'd market to -- how many viewers and advertisers do these stations have combined? yeah. that many. what a joke.
9:02AM, Lou should bring back Vince Sweeney.
Then he would get an accurate forcast!!!
Well, I kinda like the new WBRE/WYOU website. I am angry though, they took away WBRE.com and WYOU.com. I wished they would just let them there and that way everyone could pick their favorite site(s) and not have to deal with one website for 2 stations.
All you get is a redirect notice when you go to WBRE.com or WYOU.com...I think that is BS and I think that they should put all the sites back and let people choose which one they want to use.
I would like to be the first one to ask, WHO'S STUPID IDEA WAS IT TO TAKE OFF THE 'BRE AND 'YOU SITES? Whoever you are, and if you are reading this, PUT THEM BACK ON!
Post a Comment
<< Home