However browsing through their Tech and Business sections reveal more nonsensical ‘fluff’ pieces than actual hard-hitting reliable articles. This way, someone who had no interest in watching regular news might learn more about what’s going on in the world today. People who came just to take quizzes to find out which Disney princess they are might see an article relating to the recent Ebola outbreak, and perhaps out of sheer curiosity, click the link and learn more about it. Buzzfeed has an awesome power, they have the ability to inform the cat-loving masses by choosing to make articles on important issues available to their readers. Buzzfeed has improved its arsenal of covering relevant news stories, from the ISIS crisis to following political movements (Ben Smith‘s direct influence here folks), Buzzfeed is branching out into more intensive reporting. Recent articles cover the current controversy over Apple CEO’s Tim Cook’s coming out, and responses to it. Fast forward a few years later, and Buzzfeed still lacks the factual punch of many of its competitors, but it has a distinct advantage. The move was met with confusion, but also eager anticipation for the potential improvement of Buzzfeed’s credible future as a news source. Buzzfeed hired Ben Smith of Politico back in 2012 to try and improve the credibility and tone of the website. That doesn’t mean however that Buzzfeed is all cats and bagel-related articles. Between bombings, gun violence, bullying, and other horrible acts we see flashed across our news screens, it makes sense that people would rather read about lighthearted nonsense for a few moments.
Many people don’t want to be faced with the depressing reality of the news world all the time. Though their hard hitting news stories may be few and far between, the entertaining little ‘gif-based’ articles keep readers entertained in the downtime. But while sites like Buzzfeed and Kotaku might lack the hard-hitting depth that say, The New Yorker might have, they also have a huge audience. It seems hard to give websites that post things like this thought or credit when it comes to informing their audience about actual news stories about issues going on in the world today. With a heavy metaphorical (literal) eye roll I almost never give these hack-job stories a second glance, but many people do, and even I in have fallen victim to the charms of a post labeled ’10 cats in boxes’. Scrolling down your news feed, you’ve doubtless seen posts titled ’23 things about rain’ or ‘Girl jumps into a pool, what happens next will surprise you!’. Well CNN and NBC are still around (let’s not credit Fox by calling it a news source) but the internet has seen the spawning of a new kind of news source, the quick-to-report internet sensations of Buzzfeed and Kotaku.
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