Student number: 530662686

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Comparative online news journalism analysis

1. Introduction: 

This analysis compares the BBC and Axios‘s coverage of NASA astronauts’ return, starting with their histories, production contexts, and target audiences. It then examines their writing styles, online delivery, and technical usability to determine which publication provides the most effective and engaging presentation of information.

2. Publication Histories and Production Context 

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a public service broadcaster established in 1922. It is owned by the UK government and operates under a royal charter. The BBC is primarily funded through an annual television license fee paid by UK households, companies, and organizations that use equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts or access the BBC’s streaming service.

 

The BBC’s role in the media system is to inform, educate, and entertain the public. There is a specific duty on the BBC to ensure that licence fee payers can conveniently access the UK Public Services. From the BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24: Our mission will always remain to inform, educate and entertain everyone. But, as we enter the AI age and a new era of rapid technological change, we want to help shape that change for the good of all, and to make sure no one is left behind( BBC, 2024).

 

Axios was founded in 2016 by former Politico journalists Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz (Saeah, 2016) . It is a private news organisation owned by Cox Enterprises and funded through native advertising and sponsored newsletters (ARLnow.com, 2022).

 

Axios content is designed for digital platforms, such as Facebook and Snapchat, as well as its own website,and its articles are typically less than 300 words long (Romain, 2017). Its unique market offer lies in its ability to distill complex topics into easily digestible formats, catering to busy professionals and decision-makers.

 

3. Target user groups and demographics

 

Identifying the target audience is very important in online news communication. Lots of studies also foreground the need for reporters to better understand the diversity of

audiences and their dialogic expectations, in order to improve the possibilities for debate and negotiation of meaning across cultural divides（Fiona，2021).

The BBC targets a diverse audience across various age groups, with a particular focus on educated, socially conscious individuals who value quality journalism and diverse programming (CBM.2024). Axios primarily targets educated, affluent professionals and decision-makers aged 25-45( CBM, 2024).

 

This demographic is typically pressed for time and seeks concise, non-partisan news and analysis on business, politics, technology, and other key areas. Axios’s audience skews towards males with higher education and disposable income, reflecting its focus on delivering quick, impactful journalism to busy professionals (CBM, 2024).

 

 

4. Comparative analysis of coverage

The BBC and Axios both cover the return of NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore by focusing on the key facts and the mission’s significance. However, their approaches differ significantly. The BBC employs a detailed narrative style, providing comprehensive background information and expert quotes, along with related links and multimedia elements like videos and images to enhance the story.

 

In contrast, Axios uses its “Smart Brevity” format, presenting the information in concise bullet points and focusing on visual storytelling with impactful photos and minimal text, but without any videos. It can be understand after thinking about their target audience. Axios HQ had generated over $1 million in revenue from its software licensing business, which formats organizations’ communications into Axios-style “smart brevity” bullet points (Kayleigh, 2021).

For writing and content production, the BBC’s website is designed for easy navigation and clear text legibility, with functional multimedia elements, and serve for people around the world from different age groups and backgrounds. Whereas Axios prioritises a streamlined user experience with responsive design and efficient use of data to tailor content to individual users. In particular, Axios wants to focus on business, technology, politics, and media trends through hiring people “who are authentically wired and smart in those topic areas”(Sarah, 2016)

Interestingly, Axios  set a “friction point” to attract audience attention by delving into whether the astronauts were truly abandoned by the Biden administration or if it was merely a political attack by Trump. This element adds depth to the coverage, engaging readers by exploring the political implications and controversies surrounding the mission.

 

The BBC excels in in-depth coverage, implying a wealth of information in this new. Axios, with its brevity and visual impact, sets up hyperlinks for information that readers may be interested in, especially news connected to previously reported stories. This approach can increase overall readership, provide a more rigorous logical closed loop, and encourage readers to explore the news at a deeper level.

 

Comparing the two stories, both used open-ended endings, but while the BBC quoted astronaut suni to make the story seem friendly and gentle, Axio raised more complicated questions than the fact of the story.

 

Generally, the BBC’s detailed coverage and multimedia elements provide an in-depth and engaging experience for readers seeking comprehensive information. In contrast, Axios’s concise format and visual storytelling are highly effective for busy professionals who prefer quick, easily digestible news. The most effective and engaging presentation depends on the reader’s preferences.

 

For online delivery, they all integrates its content with social media platforms and uses email newsletters to reach its audience. In addition to posting at the beginning of an article, Axios’s readers can also enter their email address at the end to subscribe to the news, which makes easier and more accessible. For comparison, at the end of their news pages, BBC has the option to switch to other languages, and related news strategically recommends news by when it was published, while AXIO’s “go deeper” section focuses more on how relevant the news is and how many time you will take to read it, which focus on high-educated English speakers.

 

For technically delivery the BBC’s interactive features, such as embedded videos and social media sharing options, encourage user engagement, and they can do it great most of time. But in this new, they include a 1minute 10second video at the beginning titled “Astronauts Return to Earth After Extended Mission,” which is attractive to those interested in the topic. However, when it introduces Butch Wilmore, the video loses sound and becomes completely mute, affecting the audience’s viewing experience.

 

Axios, on the other hand, don’t use any video for the new, but the all of the photos are clear and make sense. In this case, Axios’s story is easier to spread as well, taking less time for people to read. Both news articles effectively use hyperlinks to connect to related stories, enhancing reader engagement. However, Axios clearly sets more hyperlinks, allowing readers to fully understand the news by connecting it to previously reported stories. This approach improves the overall reading experience, providing a more comprehensive and logically cohesive narrative, and encourages readers to explore the news at a deeper level.

 

The BBC’s marketing strategy leverages data-driven insights and targeted campaigns to engage with its audience effectively (Nina, 2024). At the end of BBC news articles, they often provide links to related stories, which can trigger readers to keep exploring and increase the time they spend on the website. This strategy effectively engages readers by offering additional content that is relevant to their interests, encouraging them to stay longer and delve deeper into the topic.

 

 

5. Effectiveness and engagement

 

The BBC’s detailed coverage, multimedia elements, and related news links at the end of articles effectively engage readers, encouraging them to stay longer and explore more content. However, technical issues like the mute video can detract from the experience. Axios’s concise format and extensive use of hyperlinks make its stories easier to read and share, appealing to busy professionals. Its integration with social media and email newsletters further enhances engagement. Overall, the BBC excels in depth and comprehensive coverage, while Axios is more effective in brevity and user-friendly navigation.

 

 

6. Conclusion

 

This comparative analysis of the BBC and Axios highlights their unique approaches to online news journalism.

 

The BBC excels in providing detailed, comprehensive coverage with multimedia elements and related news links that encourage readers to stay engaged. However, technical issues, such as the mute video, can detract from the experience. Axios’s concise format and extensive use of hyperlinks make its stories easier to read and share, appealing to busy professionals. Its integration with social media and email newsletters further enhances engagement.

 

Although both publications spread news online, the BBC retains more traditional news writing characteristics, likely appealing more to older audiences. In contrast, Axios, as an online-born news company, caters to younger people’s reading habits, showcasing strong competitive strength. Ultimately, the effectiveness and engagement of each publication depend on the reader’s preferences, with the BBC offering depth and Axios providing brevity and user-friendly navigation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

ARLnow.com. (2022, September 15). Following $525 million sale, Clarendon-based Axios aims to make its local newsletters ubiquitous | ARLnow.com. ARLnow | Arlington, Va. Local News. https://www.arlnow.com/2022/09/15/following-525-million-sale-clarendon-based-axios-aims-to-make-its-local-newsletters-ubiquitous/

Barber, K. (2021, October 14). Axios has made $1M in revenue from its eight-month-old software licensing business. Digiday. https://digiday.com/media/axios-has-made-1m-in-revenue-from-its-eight-month-old-software-licensing-business/

BBC. (2024). BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24. https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/documents/ara-2023-24.pdf

Martin, F., & Murrell, C. (2021). Negotiating the Conversation: How Journalists Learn to Interact with Audiences Online. Journalism Practice, 15(6), 839–859. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1907211

Nast, C. (2016, November 30). Exclusive: Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei Reveal Their Plan for Media Domination. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/mike-allen-and-jim-vandehei-reveal-their-plan-for-media-domination-axios

Robertson, K. (2024, April 11). Axios Sees A.I. Coming, and Shifts Its Strategy. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/business/media/axios-ai-strategy.html

Romain Dillet. (2017, November 17). Media startup Axios raises another $20 million | TechCrunch. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/17/media-startup-axios-raises-another-20-million/

Sheridan, N. (2024, July 3). BBC Marketing Strategy 2025: A Case Study – Latterly.org. Latterly.org. https://www.latterly.org/bbc-marketing-strategy/

Team, C. (2024a, August 14). Customer Demographics and Target Market of BBC. CBM. https://canvasbusinessmodel.com/blogs/target-market/bbc-target-market

Team, C. (2024b, December 19). Customer Demographics and Target Market of Axios HQ. CANVAS, SWOT, PESTEL & BCG Matrix Editable Templates for Startups; CANVAS, SWOT, PESTEL & BCG Matrix Editable Templates for Startups. https://canvasbusinessmodel.com/blogs/target-market/axios-hq-target-market

The BBC’s Distribution Strategy. (2018). https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/accountability/consultations/bbc_distribution_strategy.pdf

 

 

7. Appendices

 

Story 1: Astronauts Butch and Suni finally back on Earth

(BBC NEWS https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mw221z2yyo)

 

 

Story 2: U.S. astronauts finally returning to Earth after 9 months in space

 

(Axios https://www.axios.com/2025/03/18/nasa-astronauts-return-suni-williams-butch-wilmore)