The word wide web
Plus: Interview with Dr. Jochen Leidner on building a new model
News is a window on the world for readers, telling them what is going on out there past the horizon of their own lives and sharing the stories of the other 8 billion people each with their own perspective.
That window, however, often doesn’t show us all the places and stories that it could. The current systems of news distribution on the internet, for example, have disadvantaged local news in favor of national outlets. At the same time, those bigger outlets have slashed staff jobs reporting from foreign countries. The window on the world may be shrinking.
One of the advantages of focusing on the inherent qualities of an article, rather than the amount of engagement that it has received, is that it can make that window a little larger. Though they are not always from the biggest news sites, and you may not have even heard of the outlet before, there are articles from around the globe written every day that can help you better understand the world, your place in it, and the possibilities for the future. These sorts of quality articles from outside your normal view can be particularly helpful when trying to understand complex issues that impact us all such as economics, climate change, a pandemic, or violence between countries.
This week’s newsletter takes an international focus, with articles featuring reporting from countries where English is not the dominant language. You will find the subjects familiar, though these articles may provide fresh perspective. Also, while the Overtone algorithm currently works just in English, we have an interview with Dr. Jochen Leidner, a professor in Germany who is developing a new large language model to address the gaps between English and his native tongue.
“Languages are equal, but of course, not really from an economical point of view”
Dr. Jochen Leidner tackles building a language model in German
Quality stories that our algorithm suggests:
48 bullets, 2 minutes: Quebec mosque attack leaves lasting scars - Al Jazeera
The Cracks in Ukrainian Society Run through Kharkiv - Der Spiegel
Fears of ‘devastation’ from largest dam on Yamuna River in India - The Third Pole
From Banksy to Picasso, offshore world awash in valuable art - ICIJ
In Northern Iraq, Chinese Language School Projects Soft Power - Associated Press
Mali: Who really is Assimi Goïta, the man who said ‘No’ to France? - The Africa Report
Climate Change Makes The Hard Life Of India’s Invisible Women Farmers Harder - Article 14
The great Amazon land grab – how Brazil’s government is turning public land private, clearing the way for deforestation - The Conversation
The delivery apps making gig work a 'digital wild west' - Thomson Reuters Foundation
If you have any thoughts on the newsletter, Overtone, or places where our scores can be used, please get in touch at contact@overtone.ai.