Google set to launch News Lab -a tool for journalists
Google has identified quality journalism as an important source of information. News in general has helped to shape the decision making of people, leaders and the society at large leading to a free and informed society.
To this end, Google yesterday in a blog post , announced a new initiative called “News Lab”, to leverage the data from Google products that will aid journalists in their work. This tool will identify best practices for news media using Google services and apps to tell stories, track stories in real time and distribute them through available Google channels.
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News Lab tools will be used for better reporting and provide more data for insightful storytelling. Google vowed to “ensure the tools are made available to journalists around the world (and that newsrooms know how to use them); by getting helpful Google data sets in the hands of journalists everywhere; and through programs designed to build on some of the biggest opportunities that exist in the media industry today”.
While this tool is geared towards enhancing the capacity of journalists in doing their job, Google also want to use the medium to boost citizen reporting via three projects, First Draft, the WITNESS Media Lab, and the YouTube Newswire which will curate first-hand news through user-generated positive news content from Youtube and other open platforms used by citizen reporters around the world.
Google News Lab may have been inspired by many factors which likely includes:,
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Facebook launch of Newswire tool last year and it’s release of “instant articles” last months for journalist. Snapchat’s snapping of Peter Hamby from CNN to head its new news division and Twitter announcing Project Lightning that will curate the best news content from journalists and media professionals on it’s social network
As technology continues on the upward drive to engage the media industry by providing platforms focused on the future of better media. Google News Lab will provide journalists and freelance citizen reporters alike with deeper, broader, and real-time data to expand their impact.
In the blog post, Google highlighted that “The News Lab is a global effort, with teams in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany. And also powering the training and research arm of Google’s Digital News Initiative in Europe”.
