Google’s newly redesigned news page raises more questions than it answers.
Google spiders news sites, determines the most important stories algorithmically, and aggregates the stories under a common headline.
According to Nielsen/NetRatings, aggregators still aren’t a huge part of the news business. And it’s easy to see why when looking at Google News. Despite its undeniable coolness, it is editorially flat. There is no point of view and no sense that human beings were involved in its creation. The aggregation process soothes out all the rough edges and we’re left with something that has no point of view.
The strong NetRatings performance of Slate, Fox News and Matt Drudge, despite their small real-world footprint show us how important point of view can be in building an online news audience.