Introduction
Since most organizations now have an online presence, it has become important for them to design good websites so that their online users can access their products and services. As such, it is important to ensure that the general design, links, graphics, text, navigation bars and buttons are easy to use and understandable. Most radio stations now have an online presence and using their websites, listeners can listen to podcasts on different programmes. In addition, users can also follow news by the hour and leave their comments as well. Both the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the National Public Radio (NPR) have websites from where online listeners can listen to the different programmes, news, and debates featured by these radio stations. This report is an attempt to compare and contrast the BBC and NPR radio websites. In this case, the report shall describe the key design and navigation features of the two websites. In addition, the report also analyzes the elements of the two radio stations that appeals to him.
Comparing And Contrasting
BBC Radio Website:
In terms of the design features of the BBC radio website, the background has not interrupted the text used. In addition, the text used is easily readable. There is also a perfect hierarchy of the contents of the website. The text columns are a bit narrow and consequently, the user can be able to read the text without straining. In terms of graphics, the website does not have big buttons, and for every graphic link, a matching text link has been included. For example, under the BBC Radio 1 link, there is a text link that when you click on it, it leads you to the various programmes in that particular radio station (BBC Radio 2011). The general design of the website is also very good, and the webpage opens up pretty fast.
The different pages can also be downloaded quickly. Graphic elements such as subheads, photos, and pull quotes, among others have been used well and as a result, it is easier to break up large text areas. There are no observable dead links on the BBC radio website. Accordingly, the different links used on the different pages are in a good working condition. The BBC website is also compatible with different browsers, including Internet Explorer, Opera, and the AOL browser, among others. This means that regardless of the browsers one has, he/she can easily listen to and follow programmes on the BBC radio website.
For any website, a good navigation design is vital because it enables users to access the site contents with relative ease using the most logical and intuitive structures. A well designed website enables users to visit key pages from where they can access the contents of the website. This not only enables the users to meet their needs, but also those of the business or organization. One of the simplest but effective techniques is by having a page module in the website which displays the extract or summary contents of the different pages of a website.
The BBC World Service website has such a news module on its home page (BBC Radio 2011). The module contains such items as news, weather, sports, TV, Radio, travel, and many more. For example, when a user clicks on the news icon, he/she is taken through the latest news on the website in the world of technology, business, art/entertainment, sports, health, and many more. This is beneficial to the users because they are normally encouraged to read more on the areas of their preference. The module contents are dynamic such that whenever there is a new story that has been prepared by editors in any of these aforementioned subcategories, it appears on the site automatically.
NPR Radio Website:
Like the BBC World Service website, the NPR radio website also has a navigation bar on its homepage from where users can choose the radio station to listen to, read the latest headlines news, access arts and life stories, and sample the latest music (NPR 2011). The homepage for the NPR radio has also utilized graphic design well, just like the BBC World Service radio website. For example, one does not have to strain to read the text because it is easily readable.
In addition, whenever you click on a link to a page, it opens up pretty fast without delay. Both the BBC World Service and NPR websites uses the top horizontal navigation bar design. Consequently, users can utilize it as the main site navigation menu. The navigation items on both sites are button-pushed, or tabbed-shaped. Unlike the NPR website, some of the BBC website navigation items are button shaped. The use of the top horizontal bar navigation has its own drawbacks, in that the user is normally limited in terms of the number of links to use without having to rely on sub-navigation. This is a disadvantage to such sites as the BBC World Service website because it has multiple pages and is normally visited by millions of users daily. The users are forced to resort to the use of sub-navigation, and this is an involving procedure.
Another similarity between the BBC World Service and NPR websites is that both have used the breadcrumb navigation technique. Breadcrumbs are very important when using a website that has multiple pages because a user cannot get lost easily since they can always find their way back to the home page. Breadcrumbs also functions as a secondary navigation tool, in that they aid in supporting the primary navigation system of a given site. In case for example, a user is on the BBC Radio 1 section and he/she wants to return to the homepage, all that the user needs to do is to click on the suitable breadcrumb navigation item and he/she will be redirected back to the homepage. Another similarity between the BBC World Service and the NPR websites is the presence of search navigation. This tool suits the two websites well, bearing in mind that they have multiple pages with loads of contents that users have to navigate through. Using the search navigation tool, users can go to a specific section of the website (for example, the sports section on BBC World Service website) without having to traverse though the other sections.
What I Like
BBC Station Website:
What I like about the BBC World Service website is the ease with which one can get to a desired website. This has been made possible by the use of proper navigation tools, in addition to the proper design of the website design features. It is also very hard for a user to get lost in any of the website pages because all that one has to do is to click on the breadcrumbs icon and he/she will be redirected back to the homepage. The home page of the BBC radio website has a navigation bar that enables the audience to not only see what is on radio, but also to listen to the various stations of the BBC World Service online. In addition, the navigation bar also allows listeners to listen to any programme that they might have missed. Also, listeners can use the navigation bar to examine information pertaining to a given programme, such as the names of guests, or the music played. By clicking on the Now On Air view on the main homepage, one can listen to any station that he/she desires. At the top of the homepage, there is also the product navigation bar that allows one to easily switch from one station to another.
One can also use the Programme Finder button to access the programme page and once there, you can obtain programme information or get a certain programme that you have missed. The navigation tool also allows users to locate the desired content via the schedule. One can also easily navigate through programmes through the categories section because of the inclusion of a Categories link. The link leads the user to the categories index page. Alternatively, in case the user has decided to click on say, Radio 1, he/she will get be able to directly access the categories that are deemed as the most important for that particular radio station. In addition, the BBC World Service website has an allowance for the user to choose the language that he/she wants to read the contents in. This shows that the website is very multilingual. It also offers the user multiple ways to listen to the various programmes, such as via the Internet, using the iPlayer, Podcasts, and schedules.
NPR Station Website:
What I like about the NPR website is that one can actually add listen to audio stories on their station of choice, and also add such stories to his/her playlist using a media player of choice. This means that even when you have not logged in to the NPR website, you can still listen to the audio stories that you downloaded to the media player. One can also listen to hourly news via podcasts. In addition, the website also has a link to social media. What this means is that with just the click of a button, you can be redirected to your social media of choice. This way, the staff and journalists at NPR are able to engage with the members of the public. Users are able to explore Facebook posts YouTube videos, and the latest tweets. This means that users can follow NPR on social media for the latest developments.
Conclusion
A website is a useful tool that companies with an online presence can use to market their products and services to their online users. Both the BBC World Service and the NPR uses website to engage their online listeners. In this case, the navigation and website designs of the two websites are important because they dictate the flow of traffic to these sites. The general design of the two websites is good, meaning that users can be able to navigate through the different website pages with relative ease. This is important because with so many options to choose from, users should not strain to get what they want from the website. In particular, the BBC World Service website allows users to choose the language that they would want to view the websites. This means that even for listener in France, he/she can still listen to their favourite program in French. The two websites have also made use of the latest technology to connect users. For example, there is an allowance for mobile application, listening to news on podcasts or the iPlayer.
Bibliography
BBC Radio. BBC World Service. 2011. Web.
NPR. National Public Radio: News & analysis, world, US, music & arts. 2011. Web.