Maybe a computer could do just as well....

Funny, isn’t it? While the MSM has been focussed on the competition emanating from the blogosphere, the real threat has been sneaking up behind them in the form of computer software.

Moreover, considering its regurgitation of celebrity scandals, sensationalist sex crimes, sports and Republican talking points, a computer might do as good a job as many American newspapers.

A new service from Thomson Corp.'s Thomson Financial issues articles generated by computer software, using templates and "a rich thesaurus ... so no two stories are exactly the same," said Andrew Meagher, the company's director of content development.

[snip]

After a company issues its quarterly earnings report, a human types in the raw data, and the computer compares the information with analyst forecasts compiled by Thomson Financial's First Call service. Software then produces a story stating whether earnings exceeded or fell short of expectations.

Software also monitors minute changes in analysts' outlooks on various companies and can generate articles based on company or industry trends, Meagher said.

After stories go out, humans sometimes expand on them with phone calls and additional analyses, Meagher said, adding that no computer can capture nuances reported in press releases and on conference calls. [emphasis mine]

Well, not yet..

Like Stephen Colbert said before the White House Correspondents Association dinner, "But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works: the president makes decisions. He's the Decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home."

At the rate it's going, in the near future the White House Press Corps will roll in, record, spell-check, and print.

Complete story here.