First, it was NDTV that got a makeover, then it was time for Hindustan Times to get a facelift. Now, Times of India has gone for cosmetic surgery.
If you were to ask me, it was IBNLive that has prompted all these news portals to radically transform their look and make their sites more interactive. IBNLive seemed to be scoring huge in terms of audience participation by allowing user comments, editorial blogs and video clips. Some of their famous stories – the Air Deccan expose`, the undercover sting operations and most recently – their Minal Panchal story got a lot of user comments and participation.
And I guess the other news portals soon realized how much they sucked in terms of usability. They were taking the long neglected users for granted and users started alienating them.
The focus now shifts to India’s largest portal – Rediff. Renovate or Die ! When so many people complain, you should take notice.