On the Guardian’s new site and travel writer transparency
November 28, 2006
Of course I can’t just rely on Pixsy as a gateway to the travel pages. For one thing it doesn’t include content from the Guardian. And as Antony Mayfield points out today, they’ve just redesigned the site, both for clarity and to include more user content.
It’s certainly bigger and brighter but then so are the images (and the ads?), something which possibly counters some of the benefits of the new look. Eye candy is fine but let’s get to the content. It’s a busy front page and the top banner ad and main image relegate most of the content below the fold even on a 19 inch monitor.
Emily Bell, in the Guardian’s blog, mentions a new tagging system which helps you pull up relevant content created both by readers and journalists. It works. I looked for Copenhagen and though it confusingly suggested there was just one result, in fact that comprised a page of articles and readers’ tips. Best of all, it came with a feed so you can subscribe to the results if you anticipate a flood of fresh content.
In the comments under Emily’s post, a reader asks for more transparency on journalist freebies.
I guess I would nowadays slightly prefer to know who paid for the trip - if it has been an invitation of a tourist or PR agency or if the writer paid him or herself and has been able to visit the city independently of arranging hotel rooms, restaurant visits and activity and language holidays.
I really like the contributions of the readers, but now, especially with the travel shop, I am getting slightly confused of what is a real tip and what is commercially subsidised.
We have already seen this subject pop up a few times in the blogosphere this year and perhaps there will be a consumer-driven demand for even greater transparency at the end of travel features. My sign off was usually something along the lines of “Neil MacLean was a guest of the Four Seasons Resort and British Airways”. I wonder how the article would be viewed if there was a more detailed disclosure than that: for example “Neil MacLean received a ticket worth £1200 from British Airways but was upgraded to Club World at check-in and allowed to sit out the 40 minute delay in the Terraces Lounge. He stayed in an executive suite at the Four Seasons, had x meals in each of the three restaurants, received a free round of golf, two spa treatments, a bottle of champagne in his room and was given a Four Seasons polo shirt and business card wallet as a gift on departure.” None of that is fantasy by the way.
Would that change anybody’s perception of a professionally written travel article? Would it make you lean towards the hints and tips section for travel advice? Who do you trust, readers or journalists?