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comment by b_b
b_b  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Old Media's Blind Spot: How New Media and Aggregators are Winning the War for Eyeballs.
Well, the whole HufPo model would collapse if the Times and Economist and Globe et al suddenly failed (as would Hubski). New media are founded on old media, in that their model is based on rehashing, linking, discussing actual news stories. Maybe "new media" will one day employ "old reporters", but until that happens, they can only be second best, no matter how many clicks they get.

But let's be honest, its not like old media were good until the stock model ruined their business. Hearst wasn't exactly an idealist who wanted to enlighten the masses.





thenewgreen  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    But let's be honest, its not like old media were good until the stock model ruined their business. Hearst wasn't exactly an idealist who wanted to enlighten the masses.
the point I was about to make. Nothing has changed, perhaps the commercialization is more overt now. But I doubt it. I think perhaps, we're just better informed of it.
mk  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I disagree. The motives might not have changed, but the content and packaging has. CNN is not the same as the broadcast news that I used to watch with my parents at night.
thenewgreen  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
If the motives haven't changed but the packaging has, this is because they've gotten better at figuring out what motivates the public. Therefore, it's the public that's the problem. They're just the dealers, giving the junkies what they want. The problem that you've addressed is that they are entertainment peddlers parading as serious journalism.

The worst, worst part is that our leadership in this country uses these media outlets as serious platforms to spread their message. They give credence to this garbage.

mk  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    The problem that you've addressed is that they are entertainment peddlers parading as serious journalism.

Yes. That's basically the issue I take. They call themselves 'news organizations', when they aren't quite that.

mk  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    (as would Hubski)

I'm currently writing a post that addresses this, actually.

fr33lunch  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
On the subject of Hubski and news aggregators, I've been thinking more about how Hubski seems to fit a collaborative filtering model more than an aggregation model As I see it, the "filtering" is done through recommendations to a larger extent than autonomous coding. Thoughts?
mk  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I agree, and it's by design. Personally, I do not think that 'majority vote' systems support the best content. Or at least, they run counter to efforts to sustain a quality experience that doesn't align to majority tastes. IMO the ability to create (and sustain) a quality yet unpopular minority experience is key to a dynamic and healthy community, online and off.

What I am writing will touch on some of this. I'd like to hear what else you think about it though.

fr33lunch  ·  4520 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I agree. I was just talking with some folks about Hubski and the usual question of, what is that? came up. I find myself calling it a social and news aggregator, but when I describe it further it always sounds less like an aggregator and more like a collaborative. I realize that this is the intended model for Hubski, so I suppose I just didn't agree with the categorization I've seen go along with it.
mk  ·  4519 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I still have a difficult time describing Hubski. thenewgreen is much better at it. The language that is available seems to quickly give the impression of something that it isn't.
thenewgreen  ·  4519 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I spent an entire night talking with people at a TechCrunch gathering about Hubski and I left thinking to myself, "mk is so much better at describing Hubski". -We may be in trouble ;-)

Seriously, I would describe it in short and say, If you are truly interested in what Hubski is, you have to Hubski.