Google's Experimental Newsroom Avoids Negative Headlines

Posted by Soulskill on Friday July 11, 2014 @01:33AM from the giant-earthquake-provides-thousands-with-early-access-to-afterlife dept.

theodp writes: After Brazil's dramatic World Cup defeat by Germany, writes NPR's Aarti Shahani, Google's experimental newsroom focused on search trends that didn't rub salt in Brazil's wounds, choosing to not publish a single trend on Brazilian search terms. Copywriter Tessa Hewson said they were just too negative. "We might try and wait until we can do a slightly more upbeat trend." It's a decision that puzzles Shahani, but producer Sam Clohesy explained, "a negative story about Brazil won't necessarily get a lot of traction in social." In old-school newsrooms, if it bleeds, it leads. But because this new newsroom is focused on getting content onto everyone's smartphone, marketing expert Rakesh Agrawal says, editors may have another bias: to comb through the big data in search of happy thoughts.

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sounds like North Korea news by Joe_Dragon · 2014-07-11 01:36 · Score: 5, Funny

we say bad stuff only when it makes us look good.
and in other happy news... by Cardoor · 2014-07-11 01:42 · Score: 5, Funny

.. israel has asked 30,000 of it's citizens to prepare for a community outreach program in the gaza strip, where they intend to engage locals in what's expected to be highly impactful face to face cultural exchanges
.. is the arctic the next greatest beach resort haven? it just might be!
... and finally, we re-introduce Blinky-san - the superfish everyone has known and loved.. leading the way in sushi dinners that leave you glowing with excitement!