Re: The Google Algorithm

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Tim O'Reilly" <tim () oreilly com>
Date: July 16, 2010 5:42:04 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: "ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] The Google Algorithm

Anyone who reads and takes seriously the NY Op-ed, The Google Algorithm that Dewayne sent in 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/opinion/15thu3.html>

should be sure to read search engine guru Danny Sullivan's response, The New York Times Algorithm & Why It Needs 
Government Regulation http://searchengineland.com/regulating-the-new-york-times-46521

> The New York Times is the number one newspaper web site. Analysts reckon it ranks first in reach among US opinion 
> leaders. When the New York Times editorial staff tweaks its supersecret algorithm behind what to cover and exactly 
> how to cover a story — as it does hundreds of times a day — it can break a business that is pushed down in coverage 
> or not covered at all.
>
> When the New York Times was a pure newspaper, it was easy to appear agnostic about its editorial coverage, with no 
> reason to play favorites with one business or another. But as the New York Times has branched out, making investments 
> in external companies, it has acquired pecuniary [that means financial, by the way] incentives to favor those over 
> rivals.
>
> The New York Times argues that its behavior is kept in check by competitors like The Wall Street Journal or the 
> Tribune Company. But the New York Times has become the default newspaper for many internet and print readers, with 
> home delivery in over 340 markets and is, in fact, the nation’s largest seven day newspaper. Competitors are a click 
> away, but a case is building for some sort of oversight of the gatekeeper of news.
>
> In the past few years, the New York Times has come under accusations that it is too liberal or that the things it 
> writes can’t be believed. It once employed a reporter by the name of Jayson Blair who resigned in May 2003, admitting 
> that he just made things up. There have been other controversies involving the newspaper, enough to make a Wikipedia 
> page of them. Mysteriously, that was deleted just a month ago.
>
> These accusations and concerns may have merit. Or maybe they don’t. We can’t be bothered to look into the possible 
> motivations of those making them, to investigate how true they might really be. Some of those accusing the New York 
> Times of being unfair may not deserve coverage or may be seeing a liberal bias because of their own conservative ones.
>
> Still, the potential impact of the New York Times algorithm on the internet economy, not to mention the US economy, 
> the US government and the world as a whole is such that it is worth exploring ways to ensure that the editorial 
> policy guiding the New York Times is solely intended to improve the quality of journalism and not to help other 
> businesses that the New York Times owns or the bottom line of its for-profit owners.

<snip>

The whole thing is really worth a read.  After the initial send-up of the NYT piece, Danny turns serious, and provides 
a substantial analysis of the issues involved.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim O'Reilly, Founder & CEO O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
tim () oreilly com, http://radar.oreilly.com, @timoreilly









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