Media is an ever-changing industry thanks to the constant creation of online platforms that shape the way people share and digest news; Google News Lab is a newly launched tool that hopes to shape the landscape with the help of journalists and entrepreneurs. Essentially it is a "destination for reporters to better leverage Google products in their work," writes The Verge.
Although Google News Lab isn't chock full of new tools, it brings together existing ones such as Maps, Search, YouTube and Trends to help reporters track stories in real time, tell stories using data and distribute them on Google channels. The Verge observes, "All this signals that Google, like a number of its competitors, views media and journalism as an industry to invest resources in. After all, developing a clear focus on quality news means attracting more users — and advertisers — to its services."
Journalist-Collaborating Search Engines
Google News Lab Wants to Help Map Out the Future of Media
Trend Themes
1. Journalist Collaboration - The rise of journalist-collaborating search engines like Google News Lab presents an opportunity for more efficient and impactful reporting through technology.
2. Real-time Story Tracking - The integration of existing tools, such as Maps, Search, YouTube and Trends, in Google News Lab enables real-time tracking of stories and presents opportunities to build innovative news delivery products.
3. Data-driven Storytelling - Google News Lab is enabling journalists to tell data-driven stories, and this presents an opportunity for the development of new storytelling and visualization techniques.
Industry Implications
1. Media - Google News Lab's emphasis on investing in quality news presents an opportunity for media companies to leverage the platform to build innovative news delivery products.
2. Technology - Google News Lab's use of existing technology and integration of multiple tools presents an opportunity for technology companies to build innovative news delivery products using these tools.
3. Advertising - Since Google News Lab's success relies on attracting more users and advertisers to its services, this presents an opportunity for advertising companies to develop new advertising techniques that tie in with innovative news delivery platforms.