“Washington Post Tests Personalized News Program”

So reports TechCrunch. I’m all for easing access to information – but this feels somewhat worrying. Yes, it’s great to be able to ‘deep-dive’ on topics of choice but if this leads people to simply reading less, it’s not all for the good.

And what’s the impact on various ‘unsexy’ news departments within the paper once advertizers  zoom in on investing advertizing revenue not in the Post but specifically and exclusively, instead, on the sections people are reading?

Will the gossip/celebrity/”Lifestyle” stuff swallow up the paper’s depleting resources, pitting  science and research reporters up against the Sportsdesk, no longer colleagues so much as flat-out competitors?

Or…maybe it will help the less read sections attract better aligned advertizers at lower more affordable rates. Even if, no longer will feel like a holistic Newspaper to advertizers, staff or readers. Which is kinda sad.