The underbelly of the ASU Web Devil has been getting the spit-and-shine treatment lately, and one somewhat baffling truth has surfaced throughout the remodeling process: Students at this University love to think about sex.
I know, I know. Big news flash.
Chances are, you love giggling immaturely about people's jiggly bits. You're not alone.
Advanced technologies, developed in secret laboratories in the deepest depths of the underground labyrinth known as the Matthews Center basement, allow the Web Devil editorial staff to view the read counts of the top 10 stories every day. As it turns out, some readers' minds sit firmly glued into the gutter.
"Nudity: Not just for fun anymore" was the most-read story Monday, surpassing the top story, "Study: Sun could be part of melanoma cure," by about 400 reads at press time. Now call me a bit of an old-fashioned newshound, but news about tuition and campus issues seems like it would take precedence over the "Nudity" story--not that the nudity story wasn't well-written or anything.
But news piques readers' interests (and admittedly, my interests) only to a certain degree. Once that degree has been spent, articles of a seedier variety become more appealing.
"Thrill Sex," a Feb. 17 State Press Magazine article, was the third-most-read story all weekend. That story first tantalized readers when it ran in SPM, and thus the Web Devil, nearly two weeks ago. Its image of a couple getting freaky on Frank Kush Field's 50-yard line may be one of SPM's more memorable covers. But it hasn't been made visible on the home page for quite some time. Why people still visit the story boggles my mind.
"Body Beautiful" continues to be one of the top 10 stories, even though it sits down at the bottom in the Arts & Entertainment section. Its stark photo of molds taken from the bodies of real, live naked people must have something to do with it. An editor can (almost) never go wrong when amorphous male genitalia is hanging out.
There has to be a way to bring this kind of attraction power to everyday, pedestrian news about local and campus politics. So I've been thinking about ways that we can jazz things up a bit at the Web Devil to keep you, the reader, interested.
Be prepared to see the following changes in the next few weeks:
* When we cover a tuition forum with the Arizona Board of Regents this week (yawn), we'll include links to video footage of adult-film star Ron Jeremy giving his thoughts on the detrimental effects of rising higher education costs at universities around the country.
* The next time ASU President Michael Crow tries to crank out a new fee, we'll have our new cub reporter, Scottsdale resident Jenna Jameson, right on it.
* We'll completely ignore the recurring Study Abroad Fair in favor of the saucier "Study-a-Broad" Fair.
* Indecent exposure will get a whole lot more "exposure" in the coming weeks, if you catch our drift.
In the meantime, it appears that we have been, um, satisfying you quite a bit in the past few weeks. We hope we can continue to satisfy you in the future.
This is Nicole Saidi, logging off.
Nicole Saidi is the Editor in Chief of the ASU Web Devil. Reach her at nicole.saidi@asu.edu.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The read count feature is still in a beta form and no legally binding, lawyerese-laden descriptions of read count amounts apply here.
