Create & Share Your Own News Outlet - DIY News Aggregation
Jinfo Blog

By Claire Whayman

Abstract

DIY social media news aggregation tools have saturated the marketplace. Traditionally thought to be for personal use, this article asks what the implications are for the corporate environment. It argues that tools such as Flipboard, Pulse, Prismatic and Noowit can be used to build a strong business case for the correct use of social media within the workplace.

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Fast-Changing Landscape

Developments within traditional news aggregation products together with the growth in social media have greatly impacted upon the news aggregation marketplace. Business intelligence can now be gathered from traditional newspapers, videos, blogs, multimedia websites and photograph sharing sites.

Products

Do-it-yourself social media news aggregation tools have enabled individuals to curate their own online magazines and newsletters to share across social media platforms. Products such as Flipboard, Pulse, and Prismatic use algorithms to select website content thought to be of interest to the user based on their internet footprint.

The new product Noowit, launched in July, has removed the reliance on "keyword" searches, using an algorithm based on user preferences. Articles which Noowit thinks are of relevance are "pushed" to the user who then has the ability to express an interest or otherwise in such content. In addition to this, the product provides the user with a publishing platform with which to create magazines and share them across social media platforms.

Implications for the Corporate Environment

What do such developments mean for corporate organisations? Traditional news aggregator providers set up contracts with their business clients. Under such contracts the terms and conditions of use were stated. Copyright issues, accuracy and re-selling issues were clearly defined. With the use of social media tools, the onus regarding such issues lies with the user.

The Role of the Information Professional

The trained information professional is in a position to understand such concerns. A good researcher will verify the validity and accuracy of all information. The information professional can ensure that copyright is not infringed and that the commercial use of third-party website content meets with the publisher’s requirements.

The change in the news aggregation product marketplace may provide the information professional with the opportunity to make a business case for the use of social media.

FreePint Subscribers can log in now to read more about how Flipboard 2.0, Noowit and Xydocuration.com can be used within the corporate environment in Claire's longer article: DIY Solutions: The Use of Social Media News Aggregation Tools in a Corporate Environment. The article illustrates how the products can be used for current awareness services, media tracking and competitive intelligence purposes.

Editor's Note: Beyond Aggregation  

This article is part of the FreePint Topic Series: Beyond Aggregation, which runs from October to November 2013. Register your interest, and you'll get pre-notification of when registration opens for any webinars in this series, as well as a free copy of the FreePint Report: Buyer's Guide on News Content when we publish in November.

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