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I think that's because you knew what Buzzfeed News was and if we see other HN comments it looks like many 'here' thought Buzzfeed News publishes only contents l

I think that's because you knew what Buzzfeed News was and if we see other HN comments it looks like many 'here' thought Buzzfeed News publishes only contents like '15 Hedgehogs With Things That Look Like Hedgehogs'; But that's Buzzfeed and not the News site. It's intriguing that a click bait platform decided to create an investigative journalism site but with the same brand. It's definitely not aimed to get those who don't visit Buzzfeed but to leverage their existing audience, Then again why would someone interested in 'What Is Your Inner Potato?' be interested in reading about human rights abuses?

pests 5y ago
Why wouldn't they be? Just because people read dumb things doesn't mean they are dumb themselves.
- Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
  I didn't say that, My statement was regarding technical nature of user's interest. I'm genuinely curious about Buzzfeed's rationale to build a factual news site when their brand represented anything but that i.e. 'Going against what their recommendation engine would typically suggest for their users'.
  - Talanes 5y ago
    Because youth culture loves to exist in dichotomy. The stupid clickbait site and the proper news sight being part of the same thing is the appeal. Similar reasoning to how comedy/news has become a booming format. Doing something stupid and doing something serious at the same time is the zeitgeist.
    - Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
      That's very interesting, If true then the recommendation engine would have indeed identified the supposed dichotomy thereby justifying the decision to stick with their brand.
- kortilla 5y ago
  It does generally mean they are interested in dumb things though. The demographics of people who read those are quite a bit different than those who read long form content.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
input_sh 5y ago
Hey if that's what they needed to do to fund investigative journalism, I'm all for it. Investigative journalism is even harder to monetize than regular journalism. For example, you can't really publish a sponsored article.
- Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
  I agree and In fact that's exactly what I thought when I saw their 'donate' button. It enforces my opinion that the 'Buzzfeed News' is genuinely trying to do some real journalism.

pests 5y ago

Why wouldn't they be? Just because people read dumb things doesn't mean they are dumb themselves.

Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
I didn't say that, My statement was regarding technical nature of user's interest. I'm genuinely curious about Buzzfeed's rationale to build a factual news site when their brand represented anything but that i.e. 'Going against what their recommendation engine would typically suggest for their users'.
- Talanes 5y ago
  Because youth culture loves to exist in dichotomy. The stupid clickbait site and the proper news sight being part of the same thing is the appeal. Similar reasoning to how comedy/news has become a booming format. Doing something stupid and doing something serious at the same time is the zeitgeist.
  - Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
    That's very interesting, If true then the recommendation engine would have indeed identified the supposed dichotomy thereby justifying the decision to stick with their brand.
kortilla 5y ago
It does generally mean they are interested in dumb things though. The demographics of people who read those are quite a bit different than those who read long form content.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

input_sh 5y ago

Hey if that's what they needed to do to fund investigative journalism, I'm all for it. Investigative journalism is even harder to monetize than regular journalism. For example, you can't really publish a sponsored article.

Abishek_Muthian 5y ago
I agree and In fact that's exactly what I thought when I saw their 'donate' button. It enforces my opinion that the 'Buzzfeed News' is genuinely trying to do some real journalism.