PLATFORMIZATION INTERMEDIARIES: OPTIMIZING NEWS FOR PLATFORMS IN INDIA

Abstract

Platformization of news, and the resultant concerns for publishers, have led to the rise and formalization of a network of intermediaries that mediate between news businesses and large distribution platforms in India. These intermediaries facilitate and broker interactions between news publishers and platforms by providing AI/ML tools and algorithmic expertise on news production, distribution, and monetization. This paper locates and conceptualizes them as platformization intermediaries, highlighting their role in reshaping cultural economies and practices into platform-optimized models. Platformization intermediaries leverage certified partnerships with major platforms thereby assisting in integrating platform infrastructure, funding and governance models into the digital news industry. Taking a political economy approach, this study critically examines the services and market dynamics of a range of platformization intermediaries in the news industry in India. Further, interviews with these actors in India unpack the implications on news publishers and the public interest value of news. This paper draws focus onto these emerging and influential actors aiding the platformization of news. It highlights their role in translating platforms' algorithmic and economic priorities into the human and social practices of news-making, and in reinforcing platform dependencies within the digital news industry.