CBSNews.com redesign emphasizes live, on demand video while adding elegance

CBS then offers a row of four additional thumbnails — which can lead to traditional story page, video or, as available, additional CBSN streams, including the newly launched CBSN New York.

CBSNews.com uses this boxy layout just below the main element and four horizontal boxes — giving it space for one major story, two with less emphasis and then a stack of other stories on the right.

Below this the page switched to a white background with an additional grid layout showcasing even more content in an almost identical layout to the section above it.

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The rest of the page has what appear to modular blocks that allow the network to showcase specific shows, topics and other content. For example, this “CBS This Morning” section spotlights a lead video clip from the show along with four additional stories below.

Sections can then use another grid layout to showcase content on specific topics, in this example — immigration.

Finally, after a series of additional horizontal sections that take on largely the same layout as the ones already showcased, the very bottom of the page features a four column, two row lineup of headline scrapes from stories throughout the site on key topics.

Story pages have a variety of layout options — with many emphasizing video at the top, including related video using four thumbnails below the main video pane. Other layouts allow for photo-less stories and, for major news topics, the network can put a topical background image into background between the navigation and headline. For other stories, this space is reduced and remains a solid black.

The bottom of most story pages then offers another grid layout with links to related content — with paid content mixed in. For stories with video, a smaller, floating version of the clip hovers on the right side of the browser as you scroll down.

Besides inverting colors from a white background with black logo and text, the header of the site remains relatively the same as it did before — with a simplified number of options. Shows and live streams get square icons under the “Shows” and “Live” menus, while the “News” link provide quick access to category pages (which have not been redesigned as of this writing) as well as additional menu options and a search bar.