According to certain traditional media executives, Google is viewed as a digital vampire, parasite, or tech tapeworm that profits from using someone else’s content. In response to this criticism, Google has not retaliated with the same level of hostility, but instead, has reached out to publishers for assistance.
To support the transition of old-style page flipping to the web and promote advanced visual journalism, Google introduced Fast Flip. This initiative also involved sharing advertising revenues with publishers. Additionally, Google collaborated closely with the New York Times and Washington Post to develop Living Stories, a new format for updating stories at a single URL. Recognizing the struggles faced by traditional media outlets (who were also directing their frustrations towards Google), the company aimed to provide assistance.
Josh Cohen, the senior business product manager of Google News, stated, “Regarding Google News, we do not consider publishers as our competitors. Our product would not exist without their content.” He emphasized the symbiotic relationship between Google and publishers, highlighting the importance of high-quality content for indexing purposes. Google recognizes the value it derives from indexing content, while also acknowledging the benefits it provides to publishers in terms of generating traffic.
During a recent trip to Mountain View, California, I had the opportunity to visit the Google headquarters, also known as the Googleplex, where I met with Krishna Bharat, the creator of Google News and a distinguished researcher at Google, along with Josh Cohen, who was visiting from New York. Bharat shared insights into the beginnings of Google News and offered a glimpse into its future, while Cohen discussed his efforts in reaching out to publishers. Below is an edited version of our conversation, along with video excerpts.
When you first were developing Google News, what did you have in mind? What were your goals?
Krishna Bharat explained that his motivation to create a news aggregation service stemmed from the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. As he scoured various news sources on the internet, he realized that there was no efficient way to access coverage of the same topic from different perspectives. To gather information about the Taliban, for instance, he had to navigate through multiple websites like the L.A. Times. This process seemed highly inefficient and contrary to the original purpose of the web. Bharat believed that the web should have a link structure that facilitated content discovery.
One of the challenges he encountered was the lack of links in fresh news articles. News, by its nature, is constantly evolving and lacks the interconnectedness that links provide. Recognizing Google’s mission to efficiently find information, Bharat realized that a computer could perform the task he was manually doing. It could visit various websites, identify similar articles, and group them together. He tested this idea and found it to be successful.
Furthermore, Bharat’s background growing up in India and reading about Western events from there made him aware of the diverse reporting and different perspectives that existed. Particularly regarding the events surrounding 9/11, he recognized the Middle Eastern, British, and American viewpoints. Bringing these perspectives together seemed like a valuable social function. By helping people understand multiple points of view, individuals could become more enlightened, regardless of whether they agreed with them or not. The mere acknowledgment of alternative perspectives was enlightening in itself.
How do you measure the success of Google News?
Bharat mentioned that we analyze the number of queries that have an impact on web search. Although he couldn’t recall the exact number at the moment, he emphasized that it is a significant subset. This reflects the current trends, with a plethora of interesting activities and valuable real-time information available. By enhancing web search capabilities and meeting user requirements, we are achieving success. Additionally, the headline pages serve as a gateway for certain individuals, leading them to explore further links and ultimately driving traffic to publishers, which is equally gratifying.
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