Search engine news aggregation and its impact on information environment

Section: New Media

In the last few years we’ve been witnessing news aggregators, a new type of media, rapidly gaining their popularity and income. Today the situation on the internet can be described as paradoxical, for the sites that do not involve any reporters’ or human editors’ effort, become top news sites (Google News is a perfect example). Aggregators change human habits in consuming information, but major media companies are at the same time losing their income: US newspapers lost 16,6% in advertising revenue during 2008. Publishers are forced to search for new business strategies that would correspond to the changing media market. The major players are trying to solve the problem in the court, using existing copyright laws to defend their interest. But such a custom can be effective only temporarily.