Factors Influencing Interactivity of Internet Newspapers
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Initially, these technicians were critical for the smooth production and distribution of the
paper. When newspapers start developing the Internet as a tool to generate new readers
and possibly new revenue streams, it is expected that the number online technicians will
have positive effect on interactivity of Internet newspapers. However, the result of H3
failed to demonstrate a relationship between strength of technical staff and interactivity of
Internet newspapers.
The technical convergence and the move toward a digital environment are
reshaping the online media. The number of technical staff might be critical in
productivity of print newspapers in its new technology development, but level of
interactivity does not come out of number of technical staff. Response from the Internet
newspapers revealed that a few newspapers in a chain media group were served by
technical staff of the parent group, which resulted in few numbers of technical staff
needed to operate the Internet newspapers on the technical side. With the connectivity
and easy access to a Web site from anywhere, some newspapers outsourced their sites to
Web design companies, and only few technicians were needed to maintain the sites. To
let experts take care of newspapers’ Web sites in the case of chain papers make it easier
for individual newspaper to meet the technical challenge and allowed high level of
interactivity. While working on scale of economy, the solution may reduce the cost
significantly.
The finding of RQ1 suggested that there was difference between national and
local media in interactivity of Internet newspapers. The finding of this study is consistent
with Peng et al.'s (1999) finding that national newspapers had more interactive Web sites
than local newspapers. Dibean and Garrison (2001) found that local newspapers used
Convention