Across the US, web sites are gearing up for the biggest traffic surge since September 11th, and this time they are offering a wide range of user-centered interactive war programming.
The big players, CNN.com and MSNBC.com, have already pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into their sites in anticipation of war, according to Cory Bergman from Online Journalism Review.
"As with their TV counterparts, CNN.com's web producers want to own Gulf War II," he said. "They've built interactive maps with satellite imagery, multimedia slide shows, timelines, transcripts and an extensive array of background resources. The site's Iraq Tracker updates users with snappy summaries of the latest developments."
But it is not just the large sites gearing up for war. Earlier this month an eMarketer study found that 50 million people across the US use the web as their main source of news during office hours, prompting many local sites to get in on the act. Local TV stations, for example, are planning targeted, local coverage that complements their on-air newscasts.
BBC Online has joined the fray, designing an interactive map of Iraq. Users can zoom in and out, visit the locations of suspected weapons sites, presidential palaces and oilfields.
The growth of the anti-war movement worldwide has also resulted in greater online participation when it comes to discussion boards and chat rooms. Internet Broadcasting Systems, a network of local TV stations and their web sites, is running a series of discussion forums, of which its 'Iraq board' tops the popularity list. Other sites are inviting viewers to email their opinions to politicians and even sailors stationed in the gulf.
According to Mr Bergman: "The real test of covering the war online will come down to video. With dozens of TV correspondents and camera operators accompanying frontline troops, an Iraq war will likely produce some of the most gripping on-screen action since Vietnam. The best sites will showcase the most compelling video in an idiot-proof format; a clear competitive advantage over their print counterparts."
Meanwhile The American Press Institute and The Media Center have launched a specialist site called 'Beyond the Battle: Bringing Global Stories Home', which will help media operations prepare for impending battle.
Throughout March it will offer tips on establishing emergency plans for use in 'terror attack' situations, setting up a war room, checklists for planning ahead to make sure your site can cope with extra traffic, explanations of military terms, a specialised weblog of related stories and links to various military, government and cultural resources on the web.
Sources:
http://www.onlinejournalism.com/topics/brief.php?briefID=49484
http://www.ojr.org/ojr/bergman/1046799939.php
http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/news.cfm?id=901
http://www.emarketer.com/products/report.php?atwork_feb03&PHPSESSID=16f85a80b8b53d463206ac7eb02aa987
http://www.ibsys.com/
http://www.j-lab.org/coolstuff.html
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