Jeff Mignon at Mediacafe has identified the qualities he'd seek in starting a newspaper today.

For one, it wouldn't be in print, which makes the paper part of the word newspaper a little misplaced. Nevertheless. . .

He wants a searchable product with an array of sources.  No issues there.

He wants the technical ability to comment on content as he sees fit. No issues there, either.

He wants the content filtered by journalists, by experts, by people with the same interests as him, and by friends. I have an obvious issue with that, and I wonder if he's really saying what he thinks. The dead-obvious point: People are prodded to think far more when presented with ideas outside their comfort zones. One of media's beauties is the element of surprise. Like-minded and friends aren't as likely to take you there, and by not having a randomness to the filters, you're in danger of creating the feedback loop to serve up only what you've enjoyed --- not what you would enjoy.

 


Comments

Mark Hamilton

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:47:35

Not sure I understand the objection to the last point, considering that two out of the four "filters" he wants are journalists and experts. Unless you're looking at those as cumulative filters, and not separate filters, that seems to be a pretty fair mix of "editors."

 

Jeff Mignon

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:09:14

Kirk, be reassured, I really think what I wrote. ;) More seriously, I am not sure to understand why adding new "filters" to my news and information (in addition to the journalists) generates what you're describing as a media without surprises. I want more than the journalists to direct information to me. I am reading this way today and I can tell you that I am discovering much more good information than before. This filter system -- using different tools like Digg, Twitter, etc. -- became incredible to learn and save my time. To increase the value of information is, for me, one of the key challenges for news and information organizations. Improving the "filtering" possibility is one of the way to do it. Surprise is good but not enough and more and more difficult to do.

 



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