The Wall Street Journal‘s report on Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s keynote at the Newspaper Association of America conference noted: “Schmidt said ads will get better and more interactive. Instead of simply showing text about an espresso maker, he said, they’ll display pictures and come with e-commerce tools. ‘Advertising that is useful is going to work,’ he said.”
Over on ZDnet, Sam Diaz wrote:
“Schmidt stressed that Google, just like the newspaper companies, don’t have all the answers yet. Google, though, seems determined to focus on technological innovation as a means of advancing the distribution of news in a platform that’s appealing to readers. But Google doesn’t employ journalists and is not in the business of creating that content, he said. The world still needs reporters to dig up the news and tell the stories so that society at-large can be informed.
“What’s unfortunate is that Schmidt didn’t scold the newspaper executives for their widespread layoffs of journalists who produce that very content. Newspapers have gone beyond ‘trimming dead wood’ from their newsrooms. They’ve sacrificed award-winning journalists, folks who were experts in their fields and those who understood the role, responsibility and objective of a free press. What they’re largely left with is inexperienced reporters who now lack the foundation of veterans who can shape the next generation of information-gatherers.”
…Which makes me think: Since professionally crafted news coverage and analysis obviously has search appeal, how long will it be before search engines like Google start hiring those experienced journalists? Maybe not to write conventional news stories, but to lend their beat expertise to providing custom packages of context with relevant, “useful” ads? Or to help bring Google News to the next level?
