BBC.Com Website Review

-Overview: www.bbc.co.uk is the online counterpoint to the companies' over all mission, "To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain." The website is the fusion of radio, print, and video meant to streamline information delivery to its users.

-Aesthetic appeal (9 out of 10). The site is beautiful, but if browsers desire a custom look they have the option to change the site's format, layout, text size, and color. The "Customize My Homepage" button is large and located at the top of the page. A drop down appears where you check the types of information you want then the color you would like. These selections appear in playing card sized boxes on the page that can be moved by simply dragging them. If the text is too small "Display Options" are located in the upper right corner. This site is designed to be an accessory in a browsers life. The visual appeal is really up to the browser. I personally keep mine black with standard font.

-Usability/Functionality (8 out of 10). The site is point and click easy, users will keep discovering new features as they use. If you want to maximize your experience take the tour which lays everything down in a short video. My personal complaint is that the site is only designed for someone in the United Kingdom. This site would really benefit from expanding its base. There is a bug in the set your location tab which causes another identical drop down appears when you cancel because you discovered this is only for users inside the United Kingdom.

Each of the information boxes selected can be minimized or expanded users can even control the number of articles each box displays with simple plus or minus buttons. This is already leaps and bounds over CNN.com with its lack of custom choices. The BBC provides exactly what they say in their mission statement. This site does have a news focus, but it also provides history, blogs, television, radio, entertainment, etc. BBC is a one stop shop for the media hungry in the United Kingdom if only such a service was available in the United States.

While this main page is your control panel for all of these resources you can also reach then through the search bar at the top (which searches BBC.com before the entire web). There is also a navigation bar at the bottom of the page which links you to each area of interest entertainment, lifestyle, news, health, etc. Each area of interest links to a different sub website. Some are formatted like the BBC News site in red and white. Here the sites have a more traditional feel, but there still is a great attention to detail. The other sites have there own appearance and features. The Children & Youth site provides games, videos, and accessories for your mobile. The Children & Youth sites are both very buggy causing my browser to not respond every time I visit them. Children's sites are usually never maintained well probably because its users are not old enough to complain or their complaints go unheard, but it is still just plan sloppy when held against the other amazing sites BBC offers.

-Content (10 out of 10). Since the BBC is a part of history especially UK history its website is the synthesis of all of their media efforts for nearly a century the bbc.co.uk has limitless content. Exploring the Archives for television, text, or radio is impressive because it's really a functioning museum. Original recordings and documents make this the single best part of the site. This level of detail, I'm currently reading original documents from the Titanic, is astounding. Sadly this seems to be segmented into broadcasts with a particular focus and not just readily available to search. The history site provides more history, but no focus on the internal archives at the BBC. The history site is broken down so it is easy to use. When clicking on British history users get a complete timeline then can click on each topic for more detail. The content is expansive and should provide nearly everything a browser would want in terms of information. International users are limited by the inability to select their location, but that inconvenience is slight compared to what users have to gain. The amount of content is intimidating, but manageable through the ability to customize and the simplicity in site navigation.

-Etc: Personal aside is how interesting bbc.co.uk makes everything. I didn't care about British history until I clicked on it now I've been reading about the Normans for 20 minutes. Why would I do double the work for half the content? Compared to CNN.com or Foxnews.com this site is amazingly simple to use and navigate and provides more content. It is really just a question of style BBC.co.uk provides information your way while CNN.com or Foxnews.com flood you with information then make you swim for what you need.

-Overall (9 out of 10). This website is exactly what it says it is this is the future of media, news, and information. The site enriches the entire idea of information delivery.

Total 36 out of 40