The newspaper a teacher finds in the mailbox at 8 a.m. does not include the important story that breaks at 10. Online news fills the gap, and provides additional background in the form of links to related or archival articles and Internet resources. Stories are searchable by keyword. Many news providers allow users to search a substantial storehouse, or archive, of information to find the articles they need. Online sources are also better able to respond to individual interests.
Online news lets the reader assemble a customized version of the newspaper or the broadcast.
The reader may now choose the order of news delivery, so that it is no longer necessary to sit up through the entire 11 p.m. television news program to reach the story pitched in a teaser at 10 p.m. Online news also provides a wealth of foreign newspapers. The papers offer a flavor of life abroad and a non-American perspective. In addition, the multimedia options at online newspaper sites are truly impressive. Teachers can introduce a story with accompanying full-color images and audio and video clips. My own students eagerly incorporate the graphics and multimedia provided by online news services into their own presentations, properly cited, of course.