Screw you, Huffington Post!

[JBoy]

One of my periodic stops when surfing is to check out what's on Huffington Post. It's turned into a bit of a tabloid rag lately, but I digress...

Seems they've just launched a Canadian version, and my http://www.huffingtonpost.com bookmark now gets redirected to http://www.huffingtonpost.ca. There's literally no way for me to see the US version of the site. No link, no options, nothing!! WTF???

I have no problem with them having a Canadian version of the site, but why won't they even let me see the US site?

Seems there are many huffpo readers similarly pissed off: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/arianna-huffington/huffpost-canada_b_866993.html#comments

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. Welcome to AOL.

[Chimichurri]

2. That sucks! Their misleading headlines are becoming the norm over there too.

[Aerows]

3. I left HP

the day the AOL deal was made public, and I haven't willingly been back.

[JuniperLea]

4. I haven't read that rag for a couple of years now...

Tabloid is indeed the appropriate description, IMHO. Out of my favorites, and I don't click on links from anywhere else to HuffPo either.

I feel much the same way about DKos, and I expect that site to be sold in much the same smarmy fashion as was HuffPo, but I will click on a link once in a while. I do not read there; no longer in my favorites.

[Andy823]

5. Same here!

They lost me years back, and I have no intention of going back there!

[karynnj]

10. I agree on HP, but think that DK has actually improved immensely

over the years. Their election coverage is incredibly good and they have had many very good articles that have explained what the mechanics and issues are in both the House and Senate. The best of their articles are as good, if not better, than anything else I can find.

[JuniperLea]

11. I only read what gets linked here...

Too much junk to weed through, too little time. I'm not a fan of most of their top people... just not. I find much of the writers to be self-absorbed parrots. Maybe it's just me... but I doubt it. I'm glad you find value, however, because then you can link the good stuff you find and we all benefit.

[karynnj]

16. Because I have Daily Kos on my kindle as a subscription,

I have often read the front page articles. The thing with Daily Kos is that anyone can write a diary - I have written a grand total of two - both a few years ago. As a result of anyone being able to self publish, the quality is necessarily mixed. On the site itself, the way things go to the recommended list does eliminate most of the worst - though obviously there are some articles that anyone would think worthless that simply amused enough people.

I actually have not linked the Senate stuff, because I have seen that on DU detailed, really wonky stuff usually interested very few people. (In the past, I wrote up lots of SFRC hearings, but I think that most people - follow the news on foreign affairs, but the detail gets very little response. I have seen this with the few others that post similar things - so it is not just my mediocre writing skills.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Try replacing the '.com' with '.us'

[JohnnyRingo]

7. I don't understand

I used my link to go there and it was fine.
Can they redirect depending on one's IP address?
Try this link (a copy of my shortcut) and see if you still end up in the Canadian site:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

On edit, The link you provide also takes me to the American site. Perhaps you could update your bookmark.

[JBoy]

8. Yes, their redirect will be IP-based.

I can hack in through a proxy anonymizer, but I shouldn't have to.

[Pryderi]

9. I've replaced HP with TPM, and removed the app from my phone

[JBoy]

12. LOL - they're feeling the heat right now at Huffpo

The comment section about the Canadian launch is running about 10 to 1:

10 complaining about the redirect, one saying thanks for the Canadian version.

Someone from the site got on the comment section to "clarify":

HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Justin Isaf
Community Manager
0 Fans
Become a fan
13 minutes ago (11:38 AM)
Hey dgyz123.

You can still access the US content from the top navigation­, and we're adding the option for the .com homepage in really soon.

Sorry for not having it live at launch

--------
Some of my favourite comments so far:

This is an almost comically bad idea. Over the past 2 years, I have probably averaged at least one visit a day to HPost. The reason for this has been a fairly simple one; the content appeals to me. Now, the content has been drasticall­y changed, so I guess I'll be using my Feedly app a whole lot more.
Seriously.­...is it April 1?
Goodbye Huffington Post.

Based on reader responses, the thought that Canadian readers will be "grateful" to have their own Canadian HF is a huge misfire - if they could not get the original version. It's another Cherry Coke idea. They go for Canadian news at their Canadian news sites.
Harvard Business Review should write this up as another case study on how managerial decisions so often misread their customers.

Only from reading to the 248 comments or so, you can officially declare the Launch of Huffington Post Canada by the use of Force a BIG failure.
This reminds me of the the launch of New Coke or the failed new Gap Logo.

NO NO a thousand times no. Stephen Harper is bad enough on our evening news; do you have to ruin my morning coffee???

[sharp_stick]

13. Looks like they're adding the button

I copied this from one of the .ca message links.

"Sorry for not making it more clear at launch - all the US content is still there in the top navigation bar for you any time you want, and we're adding in the option for the .com homepage now."

It was a pretty stupid launch if they didn't have this in place to begin with. Did they think it was still 1995 and nobody would notice or something?

[SkyDaddy7]

14. ADVERTISING!!!

They want you to see ads for Canada! The same reason I can't watch a California NBC in Georgia. IT SUCKS!

[divvy]

15. They lost credibility with me ......

I can hardly tell the difference between them and the republican bastards on fox news anymore.

Not worth the trip over there anymore IMHO