VITAMEDIAS - Who needs editors anyway?: Ever since the Google News site launched last month, some media types have worked up a sweat over whether the robot-generated news page is the end of editors. Who could imagine that you don't need an editor to select the top stories of the moment? "No humans were harmed or even used in the creation of this page," boasts Google.
In media circles, that boast is pure heresy. It's just not right, editors exclaim. "Where's the news judgment?" some of them wonder. [...]
With its rather addictive format, Google's news search may even return the concept of objectivity to the media. Dirty little secret: Every media outlet has an angle or bias, even if they are loath to admit it. Fox News' motto should be "Fair and Balanced (because the rest of the media is on the left)." There's nothing wrong with having a point of view; just disclose it.
[03.10.02] Meet Editor Al Gorithm: Google News is in the testing phase now, says Mayer, determining how valuable the tool can be for users. At some point, though, Google has some decisions to make about Google News -- predominantly how will it make money? That’s when Google News could shift out of the benign, welcome stage. How do you sell a product that relies on other company’s brands and intellectual property without crowding into their space or taking income away from them?