NY Times: "All the News That Mark Zuckerberg Sees Fit To Print"?

theodp writes Two years ago, Politico caught Mark Zuckerberg's soon-to-be launched FWD.us PAC boasting how its wealthy tech exec backers would use their companies to 'control the avenues of distribution' for a political message in support of their efforts. Now, the NY Times is reporting that Facebook has been quietly holding talks with at least half a dozen media companies about hosting their content inside Facebook, citing a source who said the Times and Facebook are moving closer to a firm deal. Facebook declined to comment on specific discussions with publishers, but noted it had provided features to help publishers get better traction on Facebook, including tools unveiled in December that let them target their articles to specific groups of Facebook users. The new plan, notes the Times, is championed by Chris Cox, the top lieutenant to Facebook CEO Zuckerberg and a "major supporter" of FWD.us. Exploring Facebook's wooing of the media giants, the Christian Science Monitor asks if social media will control the future of news, citing concerns expressed by Fusion's Felix Salmon, who warns that as news sites sacrifice their brands to reach a wider audience, their incentives for accuracy and editorial judgment will disappear.

Comments

Internet - lite

[gurps_npc]

What exactly does Facebook have to offer the New York Times?

The NYT already has a website, and as bad as it is, it still is ten times better than Facebook? Basically the advertisement for Facebook should read:

Do you have no idea how to make your own web page - even using squarespace?

Can you not figure out how to mass email your friends?

Are you clueless about how to find free free games on the internet?

Does the idea of signing up for a blogging site scare you?

Does the laborious process of signing into and out of websites bore you?

Does the idea of locking yourself into a relationship with a company excite you - particularly because all your friends use the same company and they force outsiders to have an account before they let them see your stuff?

Then FACEBOOK IS FOR YOU For the low low price of your giving up privacy, you too can simulate the basic internet skills that every single American should be taught in High School.

Re:Fuck the NYT; And Fuck Slashdot

[kuzb]

"At least Zuckerberg does not fucking pretend to be a reputable media publication with journalistic standard"

Now if he'd just stop pretending to be an honest business man who has his user's interests at heart we'd be getting somewhere.