Metrics at Work: Journalism and the Contested Meaning of Algorithms

Description

The starkly different ways that American and French online news companies respond to audience analytics and what this means for the future of news When the news moved online, journalists suddenly learned what their audiences actually liked, through algorithmic technologies that scrutinize web traffic and activity. Has this advent of audience met

Angele Christin is assistant professor of communication and, by courtesy, of sociology at Stanford University. Website www.angelechristin.com Twitter @AngeleChristin

Metrics at Work offers unique and persuasive insights into the inner workings of online journalism in dramatically shifting technological times. The book vividly explains journalists' struggles in creating clickable news while remaining committed to their profession. An extremely timely read in light of the spread of fake news and the tectonic changes journalists are dealing with.--Michel Anteby, author of Manufacturing Morals: The Values of Silence in Business School Education An illuminating journey into the making of digital news, Metrics at Work shows how the subtle nudges of clicks and page views can upend a century of journalistic practice. Christin provides nuance to the complexity underneath the transformation of the news ecosystem, helping readers appreciate the contradictory incentives and everyday practices that shape what information we read.--danah boyd, author of It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens Comparing digital news websites in the United States and France, Metrics at Work shows that technological convergence (the adoption of similar audience algorithmic metrics) does not lead to uniform attitudes toward these technologies. Christin writes beautifully and her interviews and observations enliven the narrative and analysis. This strong book will generate lively debate.--Rodney Benson, author of Shaping Immigration News: A French-American Comparison