1What is online journalism? - Ayo Menulis FISIP UAJY

180 Journalism Online
Sometimes organizations have to recognize limitations – not of
the medium, but of resolving two very different user groups. In fact,
the medium can be the solution, not the problem. The answer may
come from a separate, yet linked, web resource or different guided
entry points on to the same site for different user groups.
Define the mission and goals for your site
Mission statements
Mission statements smack of 1980s management theory, along
with ‘empowerment’ and ‘total quality’. The concept of mission
statements seems peculiarly out of time and place in today’s online
environment. If you are a young reader, you may not have even
heard of them. However, mission statements can have their
uses.
Having asked the ‘who’ and ‘what’ questions, it is now time to
consider the purpose of your site and any objectives you have for
it. A mission statement is a good way of summarizing your
position in a form that is accessible to all the members of your
team.
As Lynch and Horton (1999) observe:
The first step in designing any web site is to define your
goals. Without a clear stated mission and objectives, the
project will drift, bog down, or continue past an appropriate
endpoint. Careful planning and a clear purpose are the keys
to success in building web sites, particularly when you are
working as part of a development team. This is a timely
reminder that mission and objectives can guide the process
as well as shape the product, acting as a valuable point of
focus and reference.
If you draw up a mission statement for your site, you can
compare it with the mission of your organization. Does the former
serve the latter? If not, perhaps it is time for the first of your many
re-thinks.