Within the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) site there is a huge on-line version of ‘The American Experience’, a history series that the station has been running since 1988, which went online in 1995. The site has a good design, the colours are not as affronting as CNN’s, under the searching under ‘Iran-Contra’ brought up some interesting primary sources, around which there was (minimal) relevant and useful contextual material. However, there was no analysis of the sources or historical events. The site is closed, and unless one selects to search the PBS greater site, the searches are all run within the American Experience part. A few documents link to relevant other documents or primary sources, however most of the interesting information needs to be found via a running a search. (The search engine also brings up duplicate copies of the same documents, which is frustrating.) There are minimal hypertextual properties within this site. Navigation is dependent upon using the ‘back’ icon, selecting from one of the thematic or resource headings or following the prescribed narrative.Located under the ‘Presidents’ category, but also linked into the ‘Reagan Era’ category is a fascinating transcript of a speech President Reagan gave in March 1987 on national television regarding the Iran-Contra Affair and his knowledge (or lack) thereof. This document, like the other documents located under primary source documents in the 'Reagan’ series offers great insight into Reagan and his style of Administration and his approach to dealing with this situation. However all of these, while having links to it from other documents, are without accompanying contextual or analytical information.
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