Coverage of the RNC

Every four years, the media goes in a frenzy trying to cover a presidential election. From debates to forums to the campaign trail, the press is always ready to publish anything that might be considered newsworthy.

This week the Republican party is holding its national convention in St. Paul, Minnesota in hopes of generating money, publicity, and support for its presidential nominee John McCain. While there is certainly a healthy amount of buzz surrounding the event, the RNC seems somewhat quieter than that of the Democrats', which was held last week in Denver, Colorado. Perhaps the fear of Hurricane Gustav can be blamed for that. Nevertheless, the Republicans, like the Democrats, have done their best to try to make sure their four day event is a great one.

Almost all of the notable events that have taken place thus far have been televised. In this age of technology, those who miss anything on television can go online to get caught up with what's making headlines. And for political junkies, there are plenty of things about the event to satisfy their cravings.That's one of the great things about online journalism. It gives people flexibility, options.

All of the big networks like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC feature interactive polls, in-depth analysis, photographs, and videos related to the RNC. However, some do a better job of presenting it online. And that is very important.

One of the things people expect when they read news online is for it to be as easy as flipping through the pages of a newspaper. On their respective websites, CNN and MSNBC both have visible links that lead viewers directly to coverage of the RNC. One of the problems I had with Fox News' site is that one has to navigate a bit before finding coverage of the convention.

Again, that is key. People want their information fast. They don't want to spend time looking for something. If I were working over at Fox News, I would try to get that taken care of.