Page 40 - E&B_septemvri 2015 ENG.indd
P. 40
BUSINESS MODELS
Would Facebook do it differently and editorial flavor that the media are proud
whether it would be in favor or against the of? The editorial team of the Atlantic, for
media companies? example, wants to place the entire content
through Facebook, while The New York
Facebook not only has the power to place Times is reserved for now.
anything on top of the user‘s news feed,
but it also has a reverse power, to suppress It seems they are right, because despite
any content. Facebook has already tried their technological advantages, Apple and
this „sport“ with its former application Twitter rapidly recruit their editors of
for news when millions of users reported media content who would decide where
that they want to use this application, but and how the content of media companies
when Facebook for some reason, „got fed should be placed. So, not everything is in
up“ with the whole thing, it very quickly the algorithm, there is something in the
fell into oblivion. human and journalistic factor as well, but
out of the media.
In fact, Facebook could adapt the
algorithm even now, so the publishers‘ „Journalism (so far) has always been
news transferred to the social network independent in the production and
could appear earlier and in a form that distribution“, says Emily Bell, from
If Facebook becomes publisher, its editors will become the most
powerful representatives of the journalistic profession that
we have ever seen, and maybe even the most powerful censors
could be substantially more attractively Columbia School of Journalism in New York.
served to the readers/viewers then the „Publishers are becoming dependent on a
other content of media companies placed power structure they should be reporting
on social networks. on.“ It is, she says, „a Faustian bargain“
to sell the soul. „For the first time in 200
The media which will not agree to years, publishers have no control over how
Facebook‘s offer or will stand against news are created and distributed.“
any part of this agreement could have
the „wall“ of their potential readers on If Facebook becomes publisher, its
Facebook inundated with such a quantity editors will become the most powerful
of beautiful stories about pets and representatives of the journalistic
irresistible distraction videos that they profession that we have ever seen, and
would become tired to probe to important maybe even the most powerful censors.
media content.
In an article published in August this
Some people believe that the media have year, the prestigious American magazine
their bird in the hand, it seems that social for professional journalists, Colombia
media users highly value the opportunity Journalism Review, quotes the prescient
offered by social platforms to enable access words that came from the law professor
to the content of media companies. In Jeffrey Rosen, back in 2010: „Facebook
other words, the „wheel“ is in the hands of has more power in determining who can
the press. Others believe that for Facebook speak and who can be heard around the
the media content is the same as any other globe than any Supreme Court justice, any
content that this network will „chew“, and king or any president“ and concludes that
its sole purpose is to keep the visitors of „that should worry the public“, because
this social network for itself. when given that power to decide between
freedom of expression and imposing
Chew and spit censorship over the content considered
Will media content served in the way inadequate in the past, „Facebook ruled
with an iron fist“.
social networks do it, be able to retain the
40 September 2015
