The Effects of Interactive News Presentation on Perceived User Satisfaction of Online Community Newspapers

Abstract

Using a statewide, Web-based survey, this study examines the associations between online community news audiences' uses of interactive features offered in various news presentations and the perceived satisfaction of community news sites. In addition, the study aims to identify associations between different types of interactive news presentation styles and levels of satisfaction. Results indicate that use of interactive features is positively associated with perceived satisfaction with the exception of forums and Q&A features. Results also reveal that customization features, such as content submissions, letter-to-the-editor, and e-mail byline links, are the sole significant positive predictor of perceived satisfaction toward community news sites.Key words: Interactivity, interactive features, perceived satisfaction, customization, community newspapers. IntroductionInteractivity is thought to be a key quality of the Internet (Fortin & Dholakia 2000;Jakobovits, 1997;Morris & Ogan, 1996;Rafaeli & Sudweeks 1997;Williams, Rice & Rogers, 1988). The potential for interactivity has launched the exponential growth of thousands of online newspapers and millions of online news consumers (Newslink, 2004;Abdulla, Garrison, Salwen, Driscoll, & Casey, 2005). Many online news sites are now serious publications incorporating various storytelling techniques and even providing various methods of audience engagement (Li, 2006).The ideal of interactivity speaks to critical issues the popular press has been struggling to deal with for some time. Christians, Ferre, and Fackler (1993) argue that the traditional press has acted as a vehicle of expert transmission rather than a network for community discussion, and the public will reawaken when they are encouraged to fully join the talk and are addressed as a conversational partner. 855Lacy (1992) also suggests that reader input and feedback, a two-way journalism, could mend the disconnect between citizens and the media and revitalize public communication.Although many attempts to define interactivity (Bordewijk & van Kamm, 1986;Rogers, 1986;Rafaeli, 1988, Rafaeli & Sudweeks, 1997Heeter, 1989;Steuer, 1995;Kiousis, 2002) and the implementation of interactive features on websites exist (Chan-Olmsted & Park, 2000;Greer & Mensing, 2006;Ha & James, 1998;Kenney, Gorelik & Mwangi, 2000;Massey & Levy, 1999;McMillan, 2002;Noar, Clark, Cole, & Lustria, 2006;Rosenberry, 2005;Schultz, 1999;Stromer-Galley, 2000), research on the effects of interactivity are sparse and relatively inconclusive. Furthermore, there are limited reports as to the relationship between various news presentations and online news consumers who use various interactive features. While consumer attitudes of online sites have been the topic of research for academics in the business and advertising fields (Cross & Smith, 1996;Ghose & Dou, 1998;Cho & Leckenby, 1999), little has been done to examine such trends within the communication discipline. Despite the continued interest toward online news and various styles of interactive n...

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