How is Naver going to change?

[Digital Times, Kim Soo-yon] Naver has overhauled the news service and formally revealed its intention to act as an information platform through completely removing its editorial content.

This is now analyzed as a decision to avoid the so called "Naver responsibilities" based on eliminating the possibility of controversy about news and comment service in Naver. Naver will focus on strengthening search service competitiveness by releasing news services in the future.

◇ The first screen is `Search` engine = According to the news and comments service announcement announced by Naver on May 9, news is expected to be completely excluded from the first screen of Mobile Naver App within 3rd quarter of this year. Real-time Rising Searches on the first mobile screen are only available to selected users of this service. Accordingly, the service that users will see on the first screen of the Naver App is `Search`. Voice and image search and AI based location recommendation functions provided in the search box of mobile Naver app will be key.

It is anticipated that Naver is planned to unveil new search advertising models through `Shopping Lens`, a shopping-oriented service added to the `Smart Lens` image search function, and `Smart Around,` a location-based restaurant and spot recommendation service.

A Naver representative stated, "It would be possible to put a search box on the first screen." "We will focus on strengthening AI search, video and user-generated content so that we can show rich content in search results."

This is analyzed as a step toward strengthening search competitiveness in a situation where the number of users searching for video content on YouTube is increasing as compared with users searching contents on text in the portal. According to a report by the researcher Nielsen Korean Click last year, `Z generation smartphone usage behavior analysis` report, YouTube usage rate of `Z generation` born after 1995 reached 86%.

◇ `News` page after search engine = Currently, Naver does not offer any more headline articles that are exposed on the main screen of Naver App through the editorial staff. However, Naver`s third recommendation is to create a news feed version (tentative name), which will feature articles recommended by Naver`s AI recommendation technology, `Ace`.

Besides, `recommended channel` which is currently being offered as a beta service in Naver App will be provided in `News Edition (tentative name)` which will be the second screen of Naver App. Five articles edited by users and one photograph is being exposed on the recommended channel. Naver is expected also to collaborate with Google out-links only for journalists who want to expose their articles throughout links. Google offers so called "news services" in an out-of-the-way link to a journal`s web page when the article is clicked. Advertising revenues from Naver News service are expected to decline due to changes in news screen layouts and the introduction of out-links. Naver is expected to provide all of the advertising profits from news editions to media companies and not to advertise in news feed editions.

◇ Political and Election Articles Comments on so called "Comments on the Latest" = Comment Regarding the policy, the system is expected to be improved during this month so that the comments on the political and election articles will be sorted only by the "Latest" rather than " Whether or not to apply this method after the election will be decided after collecting opinions through the comment policy user panel.

By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@


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