Sky News Boosts Online Output

Sky News Online has undergone a complete re-design in an attempt to increase its usability.

The site will now feature increased financial information, including share prices, currencies and world indices, which be will updated every 15 minutes. Users will also be able to access regional weather reports, as well as webcam and video functions.

Tom Symonds, commercial director of Sky News Online, said: “The Sky News site has continued to grow over the past year, with over 1.2 million unique users visiting the site each month. There is a vast amount of information and choice on the internet for news, and its vital that we keep refreshing our site to ensure that we continue to deliver a quality online news service and continue to attract new users.”

The re-design followed research conducted by The Usability Company, which ran workshops with users of the site to locate areas for improvement.

Last week, Sky News Active announced over 3 million votes had been cast, over its interactive platform, since its launch in March 2001.

Every day Sky News invites viewers to vote on a topical subject, with their remote controls. The most popular poll, which centred on the coalition bombing of Afghanistan, drew around 89,000 votes. Steve Bennedik, head of Sky News Active, commented: “Sky’s multiple interactive platforms encourage viewers to submit their opinions, whether it’s texting or emailing in comment or taking part in broadcast chat.”

BSkyB: 0207 705 3000 www.sky.com

Recent New Media Stories from NewsLine Freeserve Extends Thomas Cook Sponsorship Deal Lycos Links With BT To Promote Broadband Freeserve Ups Stakes With Broadband Price Cut

Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive