New York Times | GigaOM
At a Google conference this week, Ted Koppel complained that media focus on sensationalist stories such as the Casey Anthony trial rather than substantial news, saying it “wouldn’t be a bad idea” if Google tried to direct people to important news rather than entertainment. The Times’ Claire Cain Miller notes that Google aims to present what it considers the most relevant results (though that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exercise some form of editorial judgment, as the Associated Press’ Jonathan Stray has pointed out). But Google CEO Larry Page later said that “trying to improve media” is among Google’s responsibilities. “We as an Internet community, we have a responsibility to make those things work a lot better and get people focused on what are the real issues, what should you be thinking about.” GigaOM’s Mathew Ingram says Koppel’s complaint “is as old as the industry itself. … Are there too many outlets obsessing over Casey Anthony, or the Kardashians, or the size and shape of a specific phone that may or may not be coming from Apple? Sure. But getting Google to hide some of them and promote others doesn’t seem like a great solution.” || Related: Google Analytics adds real-time tracking
Uncategorized
Larry Page: ‘Trying to improve media’ is part of Google’s responsibility
More News
Opinion | Everyday sexism has no place in sports journalism
The conversation around Gregg Doyel’s comments to Caitlin Clark failed to address larger, systemic issues that could lead to better journalism
April 23, 2024
Poynter Journalism Prizes honor excellence in U.S. journalism
Winners and finalists are the first for the contest under the stewardship of the Poynter Institute
April 23, 2024
Here are the winners of the inaugural Poynter Journalism Prizes
The awards continue a 45-year tradition that was most recently headed by the News Leaders Association.
April 23, 2024
Opinion | An unsettling look at Donald Trump’s social media rants
The former president’s social media audience has diminished since 2021, but his posts — mostly on Truth Social — have only gotten more disturbing
April 23, 2024
Shakespeare and the power of wordplay … featuring the pun that launched my career
Four words from Hamlet collide with multiple meanings and offer a stimulant for the brain as strong as the most sophisticated puzzle
April 23, 2024