Concept and Development of an Internet-based Newspaper for Students at the Technical University of Clausthal

This paper deals with the conception and implementation of internet-based magazines such as online newspapers and e-journals. This topic will be discussed by the use of a precise e-newspaper implementation project called “ZeWIC”. ZeWIC is short for “Zeitung der Wirtschaftsinformatik in Clausthal”. It is a source of information for the students mostly for their study purposes at the Technical University of Clausthal. First there is some information given about electronic newspapers in general. Then ZeWIC is described, starting with the data model which forms the background of this special newspaper, and continuing with the particular implementation. This paper ends with a perspective about what can and will be changed or added soon to ZeWIC to improve ZeWIC’s service even more. Electronic Newspapers and E-Journals Today the internet is becoming more and more important as a source of information. And so the interest into websites providing information is prospering too. Many of these informational websites can be regarded as newspapers as they display their information like articles in paper-based newspapers. Today such online newspapers can be found in almost every area of the web covering almost any existing topic. But the number of online newspapers is still constantly growing. This paper is written to discuss aspects like advantages and problems of these internet-based magazines. The discussion starts with enewspapers in general and then continues with an example for such online newspapers. The used example is ZeWIC, which means “Zeitung der Wirtschaftsinformatik in Clausthal”. The name can be translated like “Newspaper of Business Informatics at the Technical University of Clausthal”. Informational Added Values of Online Newspapers and E-Journals According to the electronic outline of online newspapers and e-journals – like ZeWIC – there are certain additional benefits commonly referred to added values. These added values are not always planned side effects but they increase the benefits – both the readers’ and the publisher’s – in some cases to a great extent. Depending on which way the added values are accomplished they can be divided into several categories (Becker, 1995). Some of these added values and their categories will be presented here: Comparative added values: Through the way of electronic presentation advantages can be achieved by adding more explanatory power to the articles using a suitable integration (e. g. by HTML linking) of documents, figures, programs and other data (Muenz, 2002). Besides the articles’ contents can be supported efficiently by usMaterial published as part of these proceedings, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by Informing Science. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission from the publisher at [email protected] Concept and Development of an Internet-based Newspaper 982 ing these methods. In paper-based newspapers and magazines these possibilities are severely limited but electronic newspapers and e-journals can tap the full potential of these measures. Added values with efficient effects: Publishing the online version on an electronic way through the internet means in addition economical advantages too. First of all, the printing costs are decreased which can be – especially for a mass circulation – significant. Particularly because ZeWIC is designed to be a free of charge source of information primarily for students. In addition the electronic communication media provides the possibility to publish information immediately. This means time savings as well. Added values with efficiency of labour effects: Like already mentioned at the comparative added values the electronic way of publishing means a multiplicity of possibilities to deal with information in a well controlled way as well as utilising them effectively. Integrative added values: Combining newspaperlike information like articles with the electronic communication media, the internet, creates a lot of already stated effects. By integrating the possibility of writing letters to the editor gives – in addition to the news system – a forum to the readers in which they can comment and maybe discuss issues regarding business informatics. The letters to the editor also provide a feedback from the readers to the editors about the students’ wishes and about improving ZeWIC even more. Organisational added values: After the only sources of information were various bulletin boards, the news page on the institute’s web site as well as several news groups, ZeWIC now means the possibility to access all information summed up and well arranged. Above all this leads to savings in time and ways. In addition it is possible to create a better organisation between the students who are using the same common information media. Strategic added values: Constant updating of information in ZeWIC provides insights into the modes of operation of professorship for business informatics as well as institute for informatics on a limited scale. Thus, the professorship appears more transparent and is regarded by the students as clearly arranged and studentfriendly. Consequently it is possible to adjust the presentation of the information to hit the target group’s interests. Innovative added va lues: Because the development of electronic newspapers and e-journals dates back not too long, but even still continues, there are again and again new effects appearing and turning out to be innovative and beneficial. That way the information processing for the reader using provided or available mechanisms can be simplified pretty much.