ABSTRACT
Personalized news content has become pervasive, leading to the fragmentation of audiences, fractures in the public sphere, and a tapestry of mistrust in various institutions leading to cries of “fake news” and the inability of the public to separate fact from fiction. However, there is a recent history of news personalization that could make for increased trust in news, which, in turn, could allow audiences to see news as more pertinent. This work explores how various routes toward personalized news communication—defined as information that is designed to connect with an individual as a member of a community—can allow for a responsible, revivified journalism. The news landscape is such that those who consume news, especially on social media, may rely on people they know to make content suggestions, instead of turning to traditional media, which can create a personalized news experience. This way of examining personalization is distinct from a more traditional view of the term, namely news and information generated by algorithms in order to customize content based on previously specified preferences. Accordingly, this chapter examines recent trend lines in such personalized communication and their implications for journalism’s pertinence to news consumers.
