The Internet Content Syndication Council has released proposed guidelines for content syndication for its members -- and ultimately the online media industry as a whole -- to review.
The group, which includes CBS, Reuters, Turner and the Associated Press, says it is making a bid to bolster Web content quality and strengthen the utility of the Internet.
The guidelines are aimed at countering the rise of shoddy, poorly sourced and edited content, often produced solely with search engines in mind. While not naming these companies directly, the ICSC’s push seems clearly aimed at companies such as Demand Media, Yahoo’s Associated Content and AOL’s Seed.com. Each churns out a large amount of enterprise or general-interest service content -- mostly produced by low-paid freelancers.
The ICSC says the stakes are high, claiming "content mill" output is making the Web experience worse for average users. The group believes creators and publishers should work to preserve the utility of the Internet for users and advertisers alike.
To do so, the ICSC guidelines -- geared toward informational content, not opinion or entertainment -- focus on the importance of journalistic principles. For example, the guidelines encourage that formal editorial processes be used whether articles are produced by staff writers or freelancers. All work should be date stamped, and all corrections be clearly labeled. Plus, perhaps most controversially, the ICSC believes that writers' credentials should be prominently displayed alongside their work.
“We know we needed to come at this in a way that we could avoid subjective judgments of quality,” said ICSC director Tim Duncan. “We focused on process. If you follow responsible editorial processes, that should help ensure quality.”
Duncan said the ICSC guidelines would be e-mailed to more than 80 members, who will be encouraged to weigh in and recommend any changes or refinements. “These are just a starting point,” he said. The plan is to also reach out to search engines, including Google, to help solicit their support on this issue. Demand Media has also been contacted directly about the guidelines, added Duncan.
See also: "Rise of the Generators: Does a Wave of Content Companies Pose a Threat to Established Media?"
