As was expected and previous tested (Huffington Post’s World Series page), the Huffington Post is now curating real-time content (sort of) with its “Twitter Edition” now available in Tech, Politics, and Comedy editions (there may be more). PaidContent.org has an interview with Huffington Post’s chairman, Ken Lerer about the new Twitter editions.
I wrote about this inevitable next step in real-time content in my analyst report, “Search and Discovery of the Real-Time Web” (PDF). While this is a good first step, it’s not good enough. The curation is still mostly being done by the crowd and Huffington Post is still relying on Twitter lists of editor-approved journalists and personalities. There needs to be a true editorial viewpoint on top of it with someone summarizing and explaining why these stories are important.
One tool that’s the closest to doing this that’s available right now is Twingly. Think of Twingly as About.com, but for the real-time web. You decide that you’re going to be the expert in one specific area and then you create a space of real-time content for that area. People can comment/Tweet within your space on those real-time pieces. Tweetshare, a client of Spark Media Solutions, does the same thing, but in a slightly different way.
These applications are heading in the right direction, but what’s ultimately needed are true tools for the editor and publisher so that they can manage and publish real-time content. If you’ve seen something you like, please let me know.
