Mediagazer: Journalism needs pollinators (THE OUTSIDER)

12:05 AM ET, March 28, 2011

Top News:

The editorial search engine — [Updated 27 March with more material on social curation, Bill Joy's maxim, and other good bits.] — It's impossible to build a computer system that helps people find or filter information without at some point making editorial judgements.

Steffen Konrath / Future of Journalism:

Search-neutrality? Can Google's algorithm substitute editorial judgement? — Google's algorithm changes comes at a time where critics are wondering whether its search quality has flagged. Steven Levy delved into the mysteries of the search engine had breakfast with Google's search-quality …

Felix Salmon:

Bill Keller vs openness and transparency — Bill Keller has now written two three columns for Hugo Lindgren's NYT Magazine, and both of them the last two have taken aim at the Huffington Post. — The first one didn't go so well: not only did it have an opening paragraph of astonishing braggadocio …

Discussion: Scott Rosenberg's Wordyard and New York Times

the nytpicker:

HuffPo's Peter S. Goodman: “I Don't Get Why” NYT's Bill Keller Misrepresented Comments In Sunday Magazine Column. — In an email reponse to questions from The NYTPicker, former NYT economics writer Peter S. Goodman has questioned NYT executive editor Bill Keller's motives in mangling a quote from a recent column in the Huffington Post.

Discussion: Media Myth Alert

THE OUTSIDER:

Journalism needs pollinators — What is that bee doing with his nose buried in that flower? If you remember your elementary school science class, you'll know the bee is either pollinating this flower or gathering pollen from it to take to another flower. Though there are other ways …

Thanks:martinsfp

Frédéric Filloux / Monday Note:

The NYT's Melting Iceberg Syndrome — Could the New York Times be viable as an digital-only operation? What a ridiculous question: With almost a million copies sold every day, why would this preeminent newspaper even consider such a drastic withdrawal from the physical world?

Jon Bruner / Datanaut:

Tim O'Reilly on Piracy, Tinkering, and the Future of the Book — Tim O'Reilly has removed anti-piracy measures from his e-books. “We're delighted when people who can't afford our books don't pay us for them, if they go out and do something useful with that information,” he says.

Discussion: TeleRead, more at Techmeme »

Reuters:

Two Reuters TV journalists missing in Syria — * Last contact as they set off for border on Saturday — Two Reuters television journalists have been missing in Syria since Saturday night, when they were due to return to Lebanon. — Beirut-based producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji …

Discussion: FishbowlNY and The Daily Beast

Howard Kurtz / The Daily Beast:

Katie Couric Plots CBS Exit — The CBS Evening News anchor is very likely to leave in June and Scott Pelley is a top contender to replace her but CBS is looking both within and outside the network, Howard Kurtz reports. — The search is on for Katie Couric's successor.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

Sridhar Pappu / New York Times:

Washington's New Brat Pack Masters Media — ONE winter evening, Brian Beutler, 28, a reporter for the online publication Talking Points Memo, sat with his friend and roommate Dave Weigel, 29, a political reporter for Slate and a contributor to MSNBC, at a coffee shop on U Street.

Discussion: Runnin' Scared, Mediaite and On Media's Blog

Ann Friedman: Washington's Lady Journos Have Been Here All Along

Jim / Gannett Blog:

Document: GCI paid $52K to insure Dubow's life; loads of pricey benefits for other top brass, too — Last year, Gannett gave CEO Craig Dubow a platinum package of extra benefits — including use of the company jet, plus personal legal and financial services — worth nearly $160,000.

Kirk Johnson / New York Times:

Inundated With News, Many Find It Difficult to Keep Up on Libya — DENVER — Talk about the fog of war. — Many Americans find themselves scratching their heads about America's military intervention in Libya, and part of the reason, they say, can be summed up in one word: overload.