Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Focuses on some issues relating to Internet search engines, (such as Alta Vista, HotBot and Yahoo!) and their use in news information Web sites on the Internet, some of the ways in which search engine providers are trying to improve searching performance and some of the choices facing information providers. Reviews ways in which search engine providers are responding to the challenge of improving searching, including: adding a selective, browsable database as an alternative; including only home pages (producing fewer hits) and browsability; adding company information; adjusting the weightings on their relevance rankings; building up searches; and allowing Boolean logic and field searching. Examines the options facing providers of news information on the Internet, particularly primary sources such as newspapers, news agencies and television companies. Discusses issues such as: whether or not to charge; the types of hyperlinks to provide; whether or not to partner and become a portal; the desirability of electronic mail alert; and the acceptability of news aggregation.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

[1] Kate Maddox , ‘Survey shows increase in online usage, shopping’ , Advertising Age, 69(43), 26 October 1998, pp. s6-s6, s34-s34 .

[2] Georgia Tech Graphics Visualization Unit (1998) GVU’s WWW User Surveys. Atlanta, Georgia Tech , URL: http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys/.

[3] Lycos (5 October 1998) Lycos.com beta version launched giving users fastest and easiest way to find what they want. Waltham, Lycos , (press release), URL: http://www.lycos.com/press/beta.html.

[4] Susan Feldman , ‘The Internet Search-Off’ , Searcher, 6(2), February 1998. URL: http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/feb/story1.htm.

[5] Randolph E. Hock , ‘How to do field searching in Web search engines: a field trip’ , Online, 22(3), May 1998. URL: http://www.onlineinc.com/onlinemag/OL1998/hock5.html.

[6] Ian Winship (1998) Web search tool features. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, University of Nmbriaorthu at Newcastle , URL: http://www.unn.ac.uk/features.htm.

[7] Sheila Webber (1998) Business information sources on the Internet: reviews of search engines. Glasgow, University of Strathclyde . URL: http://www.dis.strath.ac.uk/business/search.html.

[8] David Green , ‘First through the portal: the business potential of highly trafficked Web sites’ ,Business Information Review, 15(3),1998, pp. 178–184 .

[9] Randall Marcinko , ‘Where is my answer? A customer service status report’ , Searcher, 5(3), March 1997, pp. 30–41 .

10.

[10] Internet-Search discussion list. Archives available at URL: http://www.audettemedia.com/i-search/.

11.

[11] Anna Maria Virzi , ‘News sites are coming of age’ , Internet World, 4(29), 14 September 1998, p. 13-13 .

12.

[12] Alex Gove , ‘Judge and journalist’ , Red Herring, (60), November 1998, pp. 64–68 .

13.

[13] Jim Evans , ‘Losing $21.5 million: as easy as ABCNews.com’, The Industry Standard, 22 October 1998. URL: http://www.thestandard.com/articles/display/0,1449,2168,00.html?home.tf.

14.

[14] Christina Stubbs , ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, use ‘em’ , Herr Reding, (60) November 1998, p. 90-90 .

15.

[15] Jonathan Berman , ‘Law in cyberspace: not me guv I was framed’ , Inform, (200), December 1997, pp. 7–8 .

16.

[16] David Green, op cit.

17.

[17] Jim Evans , ‘Electronic securities trading’ , Upside, (103), Ner 19ovemb98, pp. 50–52 .

18.

[18] See review: Cathal McCauley , ‘Sift, don’t surf, with AccountingWeb’ , Inforn Wormatiold Review, (140), October 1998, p. 28-28 .

19.

[19] Virginia Morrow , ‘The economist succeeds on the Web’ , Information World Review, (140), October 1998, p. 8-8 .

20.

[20] Greg Notess (1998) News searching resources, URL: http://imt.net/%7Enotess/search/medianews.html.

Search engines and news services: developments on the Internet

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References