Watch It

In an attempt to play catchup with Fox News, CNN has recently been promoting the hell out of their new free video service. As the banner ad says, "Video is now Watch. Watch is now Free."

Now, free video from CNN is long overdue, so I have no criticisms to offer on that score. However, it might be a good idea for the online editors to think a little harder about how they are placing the links for video next to each individual story. Today on the CNN homepage, for example, we get ambiguously-worded invitations like:

• Luther Vandross dead at 54 | Watch Free
• 12 killed by Baghdad bomber | Watch Free
• Tourist bitten by shark off Florida coast | Watch Free

Curiously, we're not encouraged to watch for free the "Four dead in Turkish train bombing".

Maybe CNN should go old-school and just put a camera icon next to each story that has video, or at least find a less ghoulish wording to put next to the stories about death, injury, and mayhem.