Website Review

After visiting and examining the PBS Web site, I was able to conclude that it is an extremely successful entertainment and educational site. The Web site has won many substantial awards, including the prestigious "Webbie Award" in 1998 and 1999. According to a recent survey, fifty-six percent of users at the PBS Web site are male and sixty percent are between the ages of eighteen and forty-four. Forty-four percent of the Web site users have children and fifty-seven percent make online purchases. (Gallup/Plaw Release: Survey of 40,000 Internet Users. Fall 1998.) The design of the Web site is very bright and appealing to the eye. Its layout is inviting and easy to navigate. Its design is consistent through all pages. There are many graphics including, photographs, illustrations, and animated buttons and GIFs. These graphics are placed in an orderly fashion and do not create a cluttered appearance. The site has its own search engine which assists in navigating throughout the site. The PBS Web site relies on sponsors for funding. One of its significant sponsors is Visa. The majority of pages on the site have a Visa banner going across the top. The advertising is very minimal and no where near overwhelming as some sites tend to be. The site consists of eleven different main sections. Each section is unique and consists of articles, games, links, and reviews. The majority of links offered are internal links. All of the links are relevant and up to date. Of all the sections, the PBS Kids section appears to be the most comprehensive. It is the most visited section on the site with more than 560,000 visits per month. (Doubleclick.) This section really takes advantage of what multimedia has to offer. When you enter the site music begins to play, and animated graphics begin to move. The site contains games, an interactive coloring book, and ideas for arts and crafts projects. It also has links to all the children’s shows that are on PBS