A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (“.”), with the most common TLDs being .com, .net, and .org. However, the focus here is on the .news TLD.
The .news TLD is a more recent addition to the pool of TLDs and was unveiled in July 2015 as part of ICANN’s (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) new generic TLD (gTLD) program. This program is aimed at improving competition and choice in the domain name space. Essentially, the .news name was introduced as a reliable space specifically for journalists, publishers, news corporations, and individual reporters to share updates and make announcements (source: ICANN).
Registration for the .news TLD is not limited to specific businesses or individuals. Anyone can purchase it, making it an accessible choice for bloggers, news aggregators, public relation businesses, or even individuals seeking to differentiate their content within the context of reporting and current events. Rightside, the registry behind .news, emphasizes that the .news TLD is ideal for anyone seeking to share newsworthy content in a distinct, credible, and categorized business space (source: Rightside.co).
A few examples of .news domains include startribune.news, used by the Star Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities, and 1631digital.news, a site that publishes digital news and insight on the radio industry. In both cases, the use of .news clearly indicates to visitors the purpose and nature of the content they will encounter, i.e., news-related content.
According to Verisign’s Domain Name Industry Brief (2020), the .news domain is one of the popular gTLDs with hundreds of thousands of registered domain names. It ranks high among other gTLDs like .club, .online, .site, .app, and .store.
The rates for registration of a .news domain generally range from $20-$30 a year, but prices can vary depending on the registrar (source: NameCheap.com). Just like with .com or .org, the availability of .news domains is on a first-come, first-served basis, and once a specific domain is taken, no one else can register that exact domain.
In conclusion, the .news TLD can be a valuable tool for anyone looking to distribute news content online. Whether for a major news corporation or an independent journalist, a .news domain can add credibility to a site’s brand, indicate content relevance, and improve visibility in online searches related to news.
Sources:
1. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
2. Rightside.co (Now part of Donuts Inc.)
3. Verisign’s Domain Name Industry Brief (2020)
4. NameCheap.com
