Channel 4 News improves functionality on revamped site

by Alex Donohue, Brand Republic 08-Mar-07, 15:35

LONDON - Channel 4 News's website has undergone a redesign through digital agency Syzygy that has improved its functionality and upped the quota of features such as blogs and podcasts.

The site thematically compiles and groups news stories from the broadcaster's national and international news services and current affairs programmes. It was originally designed in-house.

Channel 4 said the new site would also include podcasts from presenters, including Jon Snow, and a Newsroom Blog, which will aim to encourage user debate and comments.

Syzygy conducted a series of usability tests in the autumn to test the site's performance and user base, and the first phase of the project, which was carried out on the 'Dispatches' blog pages, was completed by the end of last year.

Gareth Phillips, managing director at Syzygy, said: "The new interface and theme-based approach reflect how people think about current affairs topics and their desire for something different from the Channel 4 News brand.

"The concepts are flexible enough to fit across all the brand's online properties and adapt to changing news consumption patterns and methods."