Both The Conversation and BBC recently reported on the U.S. imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, yet their approaches to online storytelling differ markedly.

 

• Hyperlinks

Conversation excels with its highly interactive design, leveraging numerous hyperlinks that allow readers to explore additional context effortlessly. According to The Online Journalism Handbook (Chapter 4), such hyperlinked content not only boosts engagement but also enhances the overall narrative depth.

Image source: Screenshots from the The Conversation website

The image shows that the conversation article is embedded with many hyperlinks to related information articles on the site.

 

• Video Embeds

“During the mid-2000s, the academic Jay Rosen noted that journalism had moved ‘from a lecture to a conversation’.” The Online Journalism Handbook (Chapter 4)

Conversation’s video element is particularly striking. It features an in-depth forum dialogue between Trump and the Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief, providing critical analysis and broader context. In contrast, BBC’s video merely shows a scene of Trump signing a document, offering minimal insight beyond the visual event.

 

Image source: Screenshots from the BBC website and The Conversation website

Image showing a conversation article with an embedded video that contains more information.

 

• Scannability

Conversation’s headline is bold and impactful, immediately drawing the reader’s attention, whereas BBC’s headline is relatively plain. While both platforms maintain a concise writing style with short paragraphs, Conversation optimizes readability across devices with larger, more adaptable font sizes. BBC’s smaller fonts and intrusive ad placements can hinder user experience, especially on mobile devices, affecting scannability and overall engagement.

Image source: Screenshot of BBC website and The Conversation website

The picture shows that the conversation article title is more impactful.

 

Conclusion：Recommendations for Improvement

BBC Its smaller font size and intrusive ads may affect readability. Increasing the font size and reducing the placement of intrusive ads would make its design more adaptable and scannable. Conversation does a good job, but be careful about the number of hyperlinks, which can sometimes backfire. As stated in the The Online Journalism Handbook (Chapter 4)：

“When remembering web writing principles, it is useful to think about the mnemonic BASIC. This stands for brevity, adaptability, scannability, interactivity, and community and conversation.” The Online Journalism Handbook (Chapter 4)

Ensure that modern journalism is engaging and audience-centric.

 

Word Count:249 (It does not include quoted content or image explanations.)