Feb. 7, 2007

Inherent in the online experience is an expectation from many users to engage not just the brain but the ears, eyes and emotions.

When it comes to scheduled big news events, our team works hard to meet those expectations.

Our coverage of the Golden Globes and Super Bowl, for instance, have been among MSN's busiest-ever days as have been days that feature breaking news that fascinates — like Anna Nicole Smith's death — or a surprising development in a big event,  such as Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl.

In fact, sometimes more people click on our site during these types of events than on days when news affects more people, though the 2006 elections and Hurricane Katrina included days that counted among our biggest as well.

When you consider that our recent package for the Golden Globes, which emphasized red carpet photos, was among our most-viewed of all time, you can see a pattern: News that is highly visual, emotional or controversial gets your attention – and ours.

Recently, we asked users, “When it comes to major events such as the Super Bowl or the Oscars, which type of content is most important?” More than two-thirds opted for photos (36 percent) or video (23 percent); 30 percent chose news reports, followed distantly by opinion/analysis (7 percent) and chats or blogs (4 percent).

Long before so many U.S. homes acquired broadband access, making it faster to access content, MSN focused on maximizing the visual experience. We still are. In the works are further improvements to our slide show templates and media player. Also, take a look at Soapbox on MSN Video, a still-in-testing platform unveiled publicly Tuesday where you can post your videos.

We're doing that for many of you, including Norman from Virginia, who recently wrote: "More slide show pictures, please! I don't know who does the photography, but just about every picture is remarkably outstanding."

Thanks, Norman. What we want for you – and expect of ourselves – is an outstanding experience for our MSN audience.