Per usual, I was reading my morning dose of news on a variety of sites, including CNET. I like to read longer news pieces at times, but I also get sucked into “list articles.” The one that got me this time was on the current top 5 gizmos or whatever going on around CNET just then. So, I clicked. In fact, you can click, too:
And, once again, I was brought not to an article but to a video. And just then I wasn’t in a place conducive to watching — actually listening — to a video. And, once again, there was no option to just read whatever they were trying to get across (or if there was, I couldn’t find it).
This has happened mostly with CNET and the BBC for me. There’ll be something with a catchy headline–but I never find out what it was about because of the video-only thing.
Now, I have to ask: would I watch the video if I was in a more conducive place? Sometimes, but other times I just want to to read the list — or, even better, at times (as CNET does with their “prize fights”) click through something that appears as a rudimentary E-Course of sorts so I feel like I’ve interacted with the article but there was no sound to be had.
So, websites: please give me more options. And, if not for me, then for the people who don’t have a sense of hearing they are well equipped to use–and who don’t want to turn on one of those voice recognition reading programs every time you’ve set up a video-only article.
Todd Wellman 