January 23 2009 8:42 AM | Link
Award-winning Web Site Delivers on Open Government Mission
DENVER, Jan. 23, 2009 — The Federal government today announced the availability of breaking news and information RSS feeds on the award winning USA.gov website managed by U.S. General Service Administration's Office of Citizen Services. With a long history of providing electronic access to government information through the Web, the USA.gov site is delivering on a commitment to streamline and simplify access so that the public no longer has to scour a vast array of government sponsored websites to learn what is new in their areas of interest.
The new service (http://news.usa.gov/), powered by NewsGator, lets anyone subscribe to “really simple syndication” (RSS) feeds on USA.gov, the U.S. government’s official portal, and receive news and information in industry standard feed readers, many available for free, just as it is posted by editorial staff. Alternatively, web visitors can bookmark the Web site in their browser.
Users can subscribe to RSS feeds from any or all of the following categories:
- Agriculture
- Environment and Energy
- Business and Economics
- Family, Home and Community
- Consumer News and Recalls
- Health and Nutrition
- Defense and International
- Public Safety and Law
- Education and Employment
- Science and Technology
- General Gov and Reference
- All Categories
The new USA.gov information service improves what was already the most effective Federal Web site in 2007 and 2008 (Brookings Institution). By turning to NewsGator, the social computing company, USA.gov leverages the technology, infrastructure, and people behind the world’s most popular RSS readers for Windows, Web and the Mac. NewsGator’s NetNewsWire feed reader is one of TIME Magazine’s top 10 iPhone Apps for 2008.
Behind the scenes, USA.gov content editors use NewsGator’s Branded RSS Reader software to clip and organize articles from RSS feeds generated by government agencies. A content manager selects the best for posting and can ensure certain articles appear at the top of the users’ view. This human element ensures that only the best and most relevant content is being delivered through the feeds and what that means is a better experience for the public.
“We pioneered commercial RSS and today have the only proven scalable RSS infrastructure for delivering the steep mandate for open government access that the Federal government is committed to delivering,” said Walker Fenton, General Manager of NewsGator’s Media and Consumer division. “The Federal government is awash in content and it is an exciting challenge to help streamline access to this information. It is also an honor to be selected for helping to inform the citizenry; there are few responsibilities more important.”
About USA.gov
USA.gov, the U.S. government’s official Web portal, makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the Web. USA.gov also serves as the catalyst for a growing electronic government. For information, visit www.usa.gov.
