Alumnus Matthew S. Weber and communication professor Peter Monge wrote a research article about the flow of digital news in the December 2011 issue of Journal of Communication.
"The results of this analysis provide insight into the structure and flow of online news, providing a model that can be used to study patterns of information movement in the online news industry," Weber and Monge wrote.
Abstract: "This article presents an analysis of the flow of information in a network of online news sites. Social network theory and research on hyperlinked networks of Web pages are used to develop a model of information flow among Web sites. Kleinberg’s authority-hub model is extended by introducing sources of information in the network. Significant support was found for a Source–Authority–Hub model, which shows the source, directionality, routing, and destination of news information flow through a network of authorities and hubs. This model demonstrates the ability of key Web sites to control the flow of news and information. Applications of the model to over-time data have the potential to predict future changes in the online news industry."
