Comments on: Does Online News Kill Your Ability to Focus? http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/ Amy Gahran's news and musings on how we communicate in the online age. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:44:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Dennis http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/#comment-260 Dennis Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://contentious.com/archives/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus#comment-260 During the Gulf War back in 1991, a well-designed study found that the more CNN people watched, the less accurate information they remembered about the events of the war and leading up to it. Partly, government propaganda is responsible. Remember all those simulations of Patriot missiles destroying SCUD missiles mid-air, when most of the time they didn't come close? But part of the reason was that the medium makes it difficult to think critically. Reading online is not like watching pictures on TV, but I think print is still the best way to promote deliberation. During the Gulf War back in 1991, a well-designed study found that the more CNN people watched, the less accurate information they remembered about the events of the war and leading up to it. Partly, government propaganda is responsible. Remember all those simulations of Patriot missiles destroying SCUD missiles mid-air, when most of the time they didn’t come close? But part of the reason was that the medium makes it difficult to think critically. Reading online is not like watching pictures on TV, but I think print is still the best way to promote deliberation.

]]> By: Amy http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/#comment-261 Amy Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://contentious.com/archives/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus#comment-261 From a non-physical/sensual point of view, reading news online is actually better. The recent Pew Internet study that the media spun as "Young people only get their news from The Daily Show" actually showed that most young people watch 24 hour cable news or read news online. It also found that across age, race, sex, and educational background, those who get their news online were more accurately informed about current events. From a non-physical/sensual point of view, reading news online is actually better. The recent Pew Internet study that the media spun as “Young people only get their news from The Daily Show” actually showed that most young people watch 24 hour cable news or read news online. It also found that across age, race, sex, and educational background, those who get their news online were more accurately informed about current events.

]]> By: Harry http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/#comment-262 Harry Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://contentious.com/archives/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus#comment-262 "Yes, sometimes I worry that my understanding of the world is a kilometer wide and a centimeter deep – for good reason, because in some ways that is true. However, the fact is that no one has to know everything in depth – that's just not possible, anyway." Interesting. This guy seems to have tried on his own to provide wide and deep information: http://www.globalissues.org Some pages are long though. Some areas are not covered. Sometimes I skim read the articles to be honest. “Yes, sometimes I worry that my understanding of the world is a kilometer wide and a centimeter deep – for good reason, because in some ways that is true. However, the fact is that no one has to know everything in depth – that’s just not possible, anyway.”

Interesting. This guy seems to have tried on his own to provide wide and deep information:

http://www.globalissues.org

Some pages are long though. Some areas are not covered. Sometimes I skim read the articles to be honest.

]]> By: Amy Gahran http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/#comment-263 Amy Gahran Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://contentious.com/archives/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus#comment-263 My understanding is that reading from a computer screen is inherently more difficult for the human eye, due to issues of resolution and screen flicker. It'll be interesting to see whether technology can eventually close that gap -- and by how much. - Amy Gahran Editor, CONTENTIOUS My understanding is that reading from a computer screen is inherently more difficult for the human eye, due to issues of resolution and screen flicker. It’ll be interesting to see whether technology can eventually close that gap — and by how much.

- Amy Gahran
Editor, CONTENTIOUS

]]> By: Jon http://www.contentious.com/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus/#comment-264 Jon Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://contentious.com/archives/2004/03/29/does-online-news-kill-your-ability-to-focus#comment-264 This is interesting. For some time if I needed to read the entire content, I have much preferred to print the text. I just thought that it was my eyes. Oh well, maybe for me it is my eyes or maybe it isn't? This is interesting. For some time if I needed to read the entire content, I have much preferred to print the text. I just thought that it was my eyes. Oh well, maybe for me it is my eyes or maybe it isn’t?

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