CNN Alerts (www.cnn.com) is an interesting tool. The concept is simple: you either select pre-defined news topics or or define your own news topics. CNN sends you email each time those topics appear in CNN or CNN Money.

I find this concept interesting especially since I just wrote a short commentary on personalized news services.

I see this type of service being different than personalized news. Alerts can act as a research tool. For example, if you are following a specific candidate, CNN sends you an alert when that candidate appears in a news story on their site. Of course, if the only news you read is that based on your alerts, then your use is no different than misusing personalized news services.

The CNN Alert service is easy to use and to customize. The first step is filling out the usual form where you provide information about yourself. This form asks the same industry standard questions that most of these forms request.

The next step is selecting and/or creating the alerts you want. The topics are interesting. I believe they change depending on their news worthyness.

Here are the topics I saw on Dec. 28th: movies, unrest conflicts and wars, offbeat, lawsuits, music swapping, Internet, disasters and accidents, Scott Peterson, Kobe Bryant, John Allen Muhammed, Princess Diana, United Nations, Wolf Blitzer Reports, Keanu Reeves, Saddam Hussein, America Votes 2004, flu season, and winter storm.

Creating your own alerts is easy. You specify the keywords, name the alert, and click on the activate button.

For example, I am curious as to how the news reports on two specific candidates: Carol Mosely Braun and Al Sharpton. I entered the key words Carol Mosely Braun, named the alert Carol Moseley Braun and clicked on the activate button. I did the same for Al Sharpton.

CNN places access to these alerts not only on a page of its own, but in related articles. For example, at the end of an article about Joe Lieberman and his views on abortion, there is an alert signup for the topics Liberman and abortion. At the end of an article about Jeb Bush and faith-based prisons, there is an alert box displaying the options: Jeb Bush, Amercian Civil Liberties Union, Florida, and prision.

CNN Alert's service is free. The New York Times offers a similar service. The introductory rate is $19.95 (to be $29.95 in 2004).