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Redesigned WGST website

J

jimbo722

640 GST has redesigned their website (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I thought they would have changed it a year ago when they got the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link to Atlantabraves.com
The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better, with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One thing I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there is no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they are "BravesRadio".
 
> 640 GST has redesigned their website
> (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I
> thought they would have changed it a year ago when they got
> the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link to
> Atlantabraves.com
> The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
> with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One thing
> I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there is
> no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they are
> "BravesRadio".
>
Just another website to me, and I design websites. Nothing warm or unique about it, but you're right in that it's a vast improvement over their old one.
We did this on this board a while back, but what the heck, it's time again.... ideas for best and worst broadcasting websites? (radio OR tv?)
Here's mine:
Best:
- 99x.com - Fits well with the format in terms of look. Doesn't look like an 'industrial news site' (e.g.: cnn.com) that most radio station sites look like. Easy to navigate and find what you're looking for
- thefishatlanta.com - again, non-industrial, non-threatening for the conservative Fish listener
- peach949.com: tasteful, simple, works well with the music format


Worst:
- wsbradio.com: endless html, overwhelming, just like drudgereport.com. There's too much to choose from and no personality whatsoever.
- 971theriver: a carbon copy of WSB's site
- magic98.1: still holding over from when the GM used to do the website on the side (???). A total mess.
 
One would think that radio stations, tv and newspapers would get hip, stay relavant and have good web portals/sites. I just took a look at gst, am750 and 971 TheRiver. Someone SHOULD go up the river for these websites. Even AJC, is stuck in the mud. Can any station go and invest in a website that strikes coolness and relavance? These sites are about 30 years in web years. How about flash, RSS feeds and panable, zoomable radars with google overlay for the radar? I'd accept some commercials for a little bit of ingenuity..
 
Great...now the only thing standing in the way of them being a real radio station is their horrible programming from 5am-12noon and 3pm-midnight.

Website looks great though! Well done GST!


> 640 GST has redesigned their website
> (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I
> thought they would have changed it a year ago when they got
> the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link to
> Atlantabraves.com
> The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
> with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One thing
> I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there is
> no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they are
> "BravesRadio".
>
 
Boy, that didn't take long for the GST bashing to begin.

> Great...now the only thing standing in the way of them being
> a real radio station is their horrible programming from
> 5am-12noon and 3pm-midnight.
>
> Website looks great though! Well done GST!
>
>
> > 640 GST has redesigned their website
> > (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I
>
> > thought they would have changed it a year ago when they
> got
> > the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link
> to
> > Atlantabraves.com
> > The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
> > with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One
> thing
> > I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> > traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there
> is
> > no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they
> are
> > "BravesRadio".
> >
>
 
> > 640 GST has redesigned their website
> > (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I
>
> > thought they would have changed it a year ago when they
> got
> > the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link
> to
> > Atlantabraves.com
> > The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
> > with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One
> thing
> > I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> > traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there
> is
> > no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they
> are
> > "BravesRadio".
> >
> Just another website to me, and I design websites. Nothing
> warm or unique about it, but you're right in that it's a
> vast improvement over their old one.
> We did this on this board a while back, but what the heck,
> it's time again.... ideas for best and worst broadcasting
> websites? (radio OR tv?)
> Here's mine:
> Best:
> - 99x.com - Fits well with the format in terms of look.
> Doesn't look like an 'industrial news site' (e.g.: cnn.com)
> that most radio station sites look like. Easy to navigate
> and find what you're looking for
> - thefishatlanta.com - again, non-industrial,
> non-threatening for the conservative Fish listener
> - peach949.com: tasteful, simple, works well with the music
> format
>
>
> Worst:
> - wsbradio.com: endless html, overwhelming, just like
> drudgereport.com. There's too much to choose from and no
> personality whatsoever.
> - 971theriver: a carbon copy of WSB's site
> - magic98.1: still holding over from when the GM used to do
> the website on the side (???). A total mess.
>

Slarti~

could you help me out? I have some friends that have a sunday am talk show, and need a website designed. do you know people who could do this without breaking the bank? They have been on the air here for 8 years, and have purchased the domain name. Please email me if you know someone, this is for real! [email protected]
 
> > 640 GST has redesigned their website
> > (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time. I
>
> > thought they would have changed it a year ago when they
> got
> > the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a link
> to
> > Atlantabraves.com
> > The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
> > with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One
> thing
> > I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> > traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically, there
> is
> > no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they
> are
> > "BravesRadio".
> >
> Just another website to me, and I design websites. Nothing
> warm or unique about it, but you're right in that it's a
> vast improvement over their old one.
> We did this on this board a while back, but what the heck,
> it's time again.... ideas for best and worst broadcasting
> websites? (radio OR tv?)
> Here's mine:
> Best:
> - 99x.com - Fits well with the format in terms of look.
> Doesn't look like an 'industrial news site' (e.g.: cnn.com)
> that most radio station sites look like. Easy to navigate
> and find what you're looking for
> - thefishatlanta.com - again, non-industrial,
> non-threatening for the conservative Fish listener
> - peach949.com: tasteful, simple, works well with the music
> format
>
>
> Worst:
> - wsbradio.com: endless html, overwhelming, just like
> drudgereport.com. There's too much to choose from and no
> personality whatsoever.
> - 971theriver: a carbon copy of WSB's site
> - magic98.1: still holding over from when the GM used to do
> the website on the side (???). A total mess.
>

Slarti~

could you help me out? I have some friends that have a sunday am talk show, and need a website designed. do you know people who could do this without breaking the bank? They have been on the air here for 8 years, and have purchased the domain name. Please email me if you know someone, this is for real! [email protected]
 
It's just so easy....


> Boy, that didn't take long for the GST bashing to begin.
>
> > Great...now the only thing standing in the way of them
> being
> > a real radio station is their horrible programming from
> > 5am-12noon and 3pm-midnight.
> >
> > Website looks great though! Well done GST!
> >
> >
> > > 640 GST has redesigned their website
> > > (http://www.640gst.com). and I must say it's about time.
> I
> >
> > > thought they would have changed it a year ago when they
> > got
> > > the Braves, but it was the same tired website with a
> link
> > to
> > > Atlantabraves.com
> > > The new site, at first glance, looks a whole lot better,
>
> > > with more news, graphics, and current news photos. One
> > thing
> > > I hope they put up there is link to Braves news (spring
> > > traning, roster moves, etc). Right now, ironically,
> there
> > is
> > > no link to anything Braves, which is ironic, since they
> > are
> > > "BravesRadio".
> > >
> >
>
 
>
> Worst:
> - wsbradio.com: endless html, overwhelming, just like
> drudgereport.com. There's too much to choose from and no
> personality whatsoever.
> - 971theriver: a carbon copy of WSB's site

I think most, if not all Cox properties have the same web designer. Look at B98.5's site, then wsbradio.com, then 955thebeat.com, for examples. I think you'll notice a theme.
 
Cox and Clear Channel websites

> I think most, if not all Cox properties have the same web
> designer. Look at B98.5's site, then wsbradio.com, then
> 955thebeat.com, for examples. I think you'll notice a theme.

Cox Radio has an in-house division that does their websites. They all use a common template. It has been about 3 years or so since Cox redesigned their sites, so it is high time they do.

Clear Channel also does their's in-house. Late last year, they began redesigning their websites for their music stations. I guess their news/talk stations were last since they had to be designed a little bit differently. Clear Channel also uses a standard template as well, although with better designs.
 
> Worst:
> - magic98.1: still holding over from when the GM used to do
> the website on the side (???). A total mess.
>

Now, it's the News Dirctor who designs it on the side (that would be me). We went under the new CC music sites template a while back. Are you sure you aren't viewing an older version of the page?

I welcome constructive feedback on the site. What would you suggest we add/remove/change?
 
> Now, it's the News Dirctor who designs it on the side (that
> would be me). We went under the new CC music sites template
> a while back. Are you sure you aren't viewing an older
> version of the page?
>
> I welcome constructive feedback on the site. What would you
> suggest we add/remove/change?
>
First of all, I appreciate your openness to suggestions, Jackie. All too often people get so close to a creative project that they don't want anyone's input unless it's ceaseless praise.
I'm pretty sure I'm looking at the new one.... it has a 2006 Clear Channel id on the bottom.
For starters, I'd lose at least 50% of the clutter on the home page. It's just an endless billboard of ads and clutter. What's wrong with clean, simple and classy? For example, even though I'd STILL like to see less crap on them, something like:
- http://1075wjzz.com/home.asp
- http://j933.com/
... while they have SOME ads, it's not just a wall-to-wall clutter of sponsors.

Next: the navigation: Yellow on orange doesn't work. If you want to use orange to 'complement' the blue of the site, use dark text. Orange is a bright color and you need dark text, not light, on it. Use a dark blue for the navigation font.

What's the most important aspect of your station? The name, frequency and call letters, right? Then why doesn't it have the uppermost place of importance on the site? Instead, some ad banner grabs your eye before you ever make it down to the Magic 98.1 part.

Lost the wallpaper background with the logo. It's very '80's (okay, okay, I KNOW the station plays 80's music, but that doesn't mean your site needs to look like the 80's), and again... clean and classy is always good. Once again, look at the backdrop behind sites like WJZZ and 93.3.

Those are my suggestions for starters. Just take some time to look at other sites and see what works and what doesn't. One thing that's tough for us all to realize is that our site visitor is a helluva lot less interested in us than WE are. They're going to spend - maybe (if we're lucky) - 5 minutes on the site. What are they looking for? What's most important to them? Song titles and artists? Contests? Weather? - then give it to them! Let them find it easily without insulting their intelligence with all the ads that NO ONE ever clicks on anyway.

Again, thanks for asking for suggestions. I offer them in a positive vein and look forward to seeing how the site changes in the future!
 
Thanks for the feedback. I'm always glad to hear constructive criticism. A little info about the layout... we are under the common Clear Channel web architecture, which defines positions of certain items on the page (advertising, a big "primary focus" area on the left middle of the page, a "top ten" style tab listing on the right, etc). Take a look at any other CC music station site in Atlanta and you'll see the common elements between them. Colors and such may be different, but the basic layout is the same...
www.96rock.com
www.buzzatlanta.com
www.949litefm.com
(Viva is not a part of this yet, as Spanish-Language stations were not included in the initial template rollout).

This same layout can be found on essentially every Clear Channel music station in the country. This is NOT to say that we don't have control over our sites -- basically everything on them can be controlled in terms of font, color, images, and the content of each particular box/module/whatever.

The Newstalks also just underwent a new template rollout. GST's site is on the new template now (hence this entire thread), along with others around the country.
 
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