Josh Korr in Publishing 2.0 identifies a central problem in the recent efforts by some media organizations to aggregate local information with an extensive series of links.
The problem is that it's often unhelpful to offer so much help. It can add to the load just enough to make it overload.
His argument, though, is the benefits outweigh the detriments --- that the advantages of a composite sketch of local stories is useful, even if they can't all be read.
My view, for what it's worth: These are early days in the link economy and in aggregation, and we're all still feeling our way in determining how to serve as a filter and a funnel, a gatekeeper and an enabler, an authenticator and a conduit. Maybe it's too early for a good debate on this. Maybe we just need to let it happen for some time and sort through what works.
