Food Network Listens

It would appear that the Food Network listens. Be it me, that is not to be seen at this time. However, since writing my (now world-famous) letter to the Food Network regarding the usability of its web site, there have been some changes made, and for the better it appears.

Not only has the web site been cleaned up of a lot of advertisement clutter, it's loads a bit faster on my POS computer. That was really my biggest beef with the whole thing, but with the new changes, Food Network has taken the usability a step further and centered the web site's content around the users rather than the TV shows.

Though the celebrity chefs do have a noticeable presence on the site, their appearance is toned down in the community areas. The front page is always all about certain food for certain times of years, but now there are more links to community areas and user-friendly sections for for people make their own recipe boxes and share photos.

This is certainly a step in the right direction for the Foot Network. Let the stars be on TV and let the people out here in the world get more out of the network than just sitting, glassy-eyed at Giada's cleavage or Gina Neely's ... ahem ... bounciness. People go to the web to find and share information and that's what the FN is finally letting us do.

And now, as if reading my mind, the network has introduced Ask Aida, an interactive Q & A process where you, the user, send in a video with your cooking questions to Aida Mollenkamp, and she will give you an answer. Yet another way for users to create content and interact with the network that they so love.

The site seems to be shaping up to its fullest potential and I'm excited to see what they have in store for the future. Though, I would be happy if the ads were toned down a little more. But that's just nit-picking.