XHTML and Me

I have officially been battling with xhtml for nearly two weeks and it is both a frustrating and rewarding experience at the same time. I am a fast worker by nature and tend to be careless when it comes to the finer details and this, as I have learned the hard way, is not on in the world of markup languages.

This post is actually an extension of a previous one that looked at the relevance of journalists learning and utilising xhtml. One could argue that mastering the entangled mesh of codes and symbols is superfluous when web design programmes such as Macromedia Dreamweaver allow anyone to design a web page. However, as a journalism and media studies student who is required to learn xhtml as part of my course, I am going to stand firm in my previous assertion thatit is important for journalists to have a solid grasp of the technical language of xhtml and here’s why:

Niles[1] argues that by learning xhtml, journalism students are not only taught how to create web pages through hardcoding, but are also being taught and reminded of the important principles of journalism. An example that I have already mentioned, is precision. As a media producer, it is essential, when writing an article or taking a photograph, that the information being recorded and published is accurate. As a result, journalists need to be precise, not only in the gathering of information, but also in the actual production and distribution of that information. Xhtml is an intricate combination of codes and by leaving out the smallest, seemingly insignificant symbol can alter the entire layout of your web page. By learning to pay attention to detail, through the mastering of xhtml, journalists will be more accurate publishers of news and information.

Another reason to support the need for journalists to grasp xhtml is that it helps them to “develop the ability to understand a technical language”[2]. Journalists often have to engage with people and issues that they know very little about and they may not have an understanding of particular technical jargon that is used. Niles states that by learning a technical language like xhtml, journalists are given an opportunity to overcome their fear of technical jargon. It may also provide journalists with the ability to make sense of seemingly tedious jargonised information and documents. As a result of being able to better understand and interpret technical jargon, journalists will be better equipped to ask more informed questions and interrogate more effectively the nature of the information, thus providing a more well-rounded and thoroughly researched article.

Niles also says that by gaining an understanding of xhtml, journalists are able to set up web pages without having to buy expensive software. This is good news for journalists in African countries, who may not be able to afford the software. Many African journalists do not have Internet access in their newsrooms due to the cost of Internet connections. As a result, many of them access the Internet through Internet Cafes or through one computer in their newsroom. These computers may not have the web page design programmes on them, which may prove problematic for journalists who do not have a firm grasp of xhtml. However, with an understanding of xhtml, journalists can utilise simple programmes such as notepad, which is available on most computers, to set up web pages.

With regard to web accessibility, which will be discussed in greater detail in another post, by having a firm grasp of xhtml, journalists can develop and follow methods that promote web accessibility to people not only with physical disabilities, but also to those who struggle with slow Internet connections (Yes, Africa, I am talking to you).
By mastering xhtml, journalists are able to follow specific guidelines, like the ones suggested by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0[3]. In order to make the web more accessible, journalists need to be able to identify and manipulate various xhtml elements. Henry[4] argues that by misusing markup language makes it difficult for users with specialised software to understand and navigate through the web pages.

In a continent that is hindered by increased poverty, Internet connections are costly and slow. As a result, the web is largely inaccessible to the majority of people living in African countries. By gaining an understanding of xhtml, as a journalist I am better suited to an African context because I will be able to use xhtml to make the web more accessible to users, shortening downloading time by replacing images with text equivalent elements, for example.
As a result, learning xhtml does not only have the ability to benefit the journalist, but it has the potential to provide people in Africa with better access to information.

[1] Niles, R. 2005. “From the Teaching Trenches: Hardcoding is Harder, but Results are Worth It”. USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review. Retrieved 3 March, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/050113niles/
[2] See above
[3] Henry, S. 2007. “Web Accessibility Initiative”. Web Accessibility Initiative. Retrieved 3 March, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.w3.org/WAI/
[4] See above