*The Integrated Newsroom - Straits Times Findings*

4.2.2 Online Consumer Expectations

Feedback is an important aspect of STI. There are direct e-mail addresses pointing to the various section editors to allow readers to communicate directly with journalists explained Jansen (pers comm, 27 July 1999)

We would check and respond to each e-mail we received. If the STI staff were unable to respond to queries, we would forward it or seek a reaction from the appropriate party. In the early days we had two distinct categories of feedback. One strand was from readers who needed technical help like how to access our pages. The second was from readers who inquired for specific information that was not available in our print edition. In response, we would create a special section to cater to their needs provided there were enough queries. In addition to our usual Forum section from the print edition, we ran more letters online.

In his view, today's audiences are much more sophisticated. The number of users has grown tremendously.

Technology has moved so quickly that readers simply come to expect audio and video clips. Expectations are so much higher that if you don't deliver it is immediately apparent that you are a sub-standard content provider. As long as the reader is exposed to available technology, he comes to expect it.

For Goh (pers comm, 22 July 1999), accountability is maximised.

The power lies with the surfer who is able to locate just about anything É An IT story I wrote was discussed on a local discussion list criticising my point of view and it was disconcerting. But you learn to stand by what you write and not take such personal comments seriously. The beauty of the Net lies in its anonymity, it acts as a good form of feedback especially in terms of our site design. We do get good tipoffs, like when an SIA (Singapore International Airlines)personnel passing on in UAE (United Arab Emirates) but of course the onus lies on the journalists to check the validity and confirm such information.

In terms of technology and site design, STI has made a conscious effort to maintain equitable access. 'We try to keep content general and simple in language. We are mostly one step behind technology, and its not because we are unaware of what is available. Readers come to our site for news and our content, so we do try to reach a maximum target audience,' said Goh (ibid). Jansen (pers comm, 27 July 1999) reiterated the importance of the online audience when he said:

It essential to know your target audience. As we become more global [through the Internet] we go, the more local we need to be. Its important to have the ability to refocus on the global market and write copy catered to the needs of the new online audience.