David Folkenflik, NPR’s media correspondent, reports on Buzzfeed’s plans to build a team of journalists charged with offering original news reporting. Ben Smith, Buzzfeed editor-in-chief says the site competes with all kinds of media when it comes to sharing news.
Kelly McBride, a senior scholar at the Poynter Institute, suggests that the goal for virality may blur the real story.
“What does it mean when something goes viral on BuzzFeed?” she asks. “Does it mean that it’s the most important topic on its face? Or is there another issue behind it?”
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