4 ms·

This is what I hate most about online journalism. Even tech-centric web sites will do it intentionally. Just the other day there was a TechCrunch article abou

by Zikes 12y ago

This is what I hate most about online journalism. Even tech-centric web sites will do it intentionally. Just the other day there was a TechCrunch article about some .io company getting bought out and they made it a link, but instead it takes you to the TC page about that company. I'm pretty sure people working at these companies are just so certain that any link leading people away from their web site will cost them money. As if people will just wander onto their site, and as long as they can't find the exit they'll be stuck there forever.

jonathanjaeger 12y ago
@Zikes: I HATE this! I've complained on TC about them not linking to Kickstarter projects and instead linking to other stories about Kickstarter on TechCrunch. I feel like they've gotten better at linking to Kickstarter/Indiegogo for projects lately but they still are guilty of this tactic consistently.
tlrobinson 12y ago
> As if people will just wander onto their site, and as long as they can't find the exit they'll be stuck there forever. The digital equivalent of casinos' lack of windows.
- alttab 12y ago
  That and losing money doesn't look entertaining through a window
- Steko 12y ago
  Not linking to a company described in a news article can be annoying but it's not always some casino mentality code they have against outlinking to maximize internal pageviews -- in many cases it's also journalism trying to hold onto some standards of not just being a shill for the interview subject.
  - Zikes 12y ago
    On Wikipedia they call it citing sources. Journalism would certainly do very well to practice that.
  - davidgerard 12y ago
    The BBC somehow survives now that it's actually linking to papers referenced, entities discussed in the article, etc.
    - lclarkmichalek 12y ago
      Well being state funded probably helps in that regard
      - davidgerard 12y ago
        I'd think that would work against the claim being asserted - that external links affect neutrality - given how closely people watch the BBC for any possible bias and berate it for assumed bias (with or without cause).
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - TeMPOraL 12y ago
    Not linking to a company described requires a very conscious effort. It's obvious that when you want to tell people "hey, look at X", you want to point people towards X somehow. If you don't do this, then it means you have some ulterior motive for not doing that.

by Zikes 12y ago

jonathanjaeger 12y ago

@Zikes: I HATE this! I've complained on TC about them not linking to Kickstarter projects and instead linking to other stories about Kickstarter on TechCrunch. I feel like they've gotten better at linking to Kickstarter/Indiegogo for projects lately but they still are guilty of this tactic consistently.

tlrobinson 12y ago

> As if people will just wander onto their site, and as long as they can't find the exit they'll be stuck there forever. The digital equivalent of casinos' lack of windows.

alttab 12y ago
That and losing money doesn't look entertaining through a window
Steko 12y ago
Not linking to a company described in a news article can be annoying but it's not always some casino mentality code they have against outlinking to maximize internal pageviews -- in many cases it's also journalism trying to hold onto some standards of not just being a shill for the interview subject.
- Zikes 12y ago
  On Wikipedia they call it citing sources. Journalism would certainly do very well to practice that.
- davidgerard 12y ago
  The BBC somehow survives now that it's actually linking to papers referenced, entities discussed in the article, etc.
  - lclarkmichalek 12y ago
    Well being state funded probably helps in that regard
    - davidgerard 12y ago
      I'd think that would work against the claim being asserted - that external links affect neutrality - given how closely people watch the BBC for any possible bias and berate it for assumed bias (with or without cause).
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- TeMPOraL 12y ago
  Not linking to a company described requires a very conscious effort. It's obvious that when you want to tell people "hey, look at X", you want to point people towards X somehow. If you don't do this, then it means you have some ulterior motive for not doing that.