For the longest time I have gotten my news from one main source, that being the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The paper itself has given me every sort of news I have needed in the years I have lived in Minnesota. While their hard copy of their paper is great, the online edition is just as good. Even when putting it up against some of the nations largest papers, the Trib seems to hold up to their content and quality of their online counterparts. One of the biggest papers in the nation, The New York Times, was perfect to compare to the Star Tribune.
One of the main qualities of the Star Tribune I always enjoyed was it's local feel, and it's ability to still deliver on strong national content. The first thing you see on the site isn't the most breaking international news, but local stories that more of the public can connect to. There is no reference to a national or international story until the bottom of the page. If you do want to find news on a larger scale, it is easy enough to find by using the convenient tabs at the top of the site, outlining almost everything that the Trib has to offer. The site also manages to keep the same feel of the hard copy paper by maintaining it's green and black look that so many connect to the paper.
The Star Tribune also manages to integrate other forms of media into the site better that other sites I have seen. Right below the breaking news stories sits a multimedia player that shows everything ranging from prep sports wins to world economic news. Even an appearance of The Prairie Home Companion radio show on occasion. The one downside to the side of the site is the slight feeling of it being cluttered. Links to the latest news and most popular news fill the right side of the screen while attempting to squeeze in advertisements as well. Other than this flaw, the Star Tribune manages to create a website that engages Minnesotans with local and international news.
The New York Times other the other hand also creates a site that replicates it's hard copy with its look and feel. Yet, the first thing you see on the site is not information on the latest New York news, but the latest news of what is happening throughout the world. Since it is The New York Times, this content seems to fit with the reader base. People all over the world come to the Times to get their news. Many people may find this site to be more informative do to this sort of content.
The multimedia is set up much like the Star Tribune, with a media player right below the main stories. Instead of having sports and other local stories, everything consists of the latest breaking news, as well as fluff regarding entertainment and health. The NYT also manages to allow readers to take the stories they enjoy and share them throughout the web on social networking sites such as Digg and Facebook.
When looking at these two sites, it really comes down to your personal preference of what type of information you like to read. If you are someone who cares more about the news around home and the state, you would defiantly would prefer the content of the Star Tribune. If you enjoying hearing more of the international buzz and more fluff stories, the NYT is for you. Either one is a solid choice for obtaining good news content.
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