[The Editors' Verdict] The Dream of 'De-Portalization' Wavers Once Again

Daum Kakao will strengthen reader exposure by placing news from individual media outlets at the forefront of its mobile portal main screen starting from the 27th. Currently, real-time news posted by each media outlet is positioned where readers can see it best, but from next week, articles from media outlets that readers choose to subscribe to will be prioritized to maximize portal traffic. This follows last month's policy of showing search results mainly from content-providing media companies (so-called CP companies), marking a series of changes in news arrangement. To this end, Daum Kakao plans to expand channel subscription and notification functions and relax editorial area guidelines for each media outlet. Next year, they also plan to change the arrangement on the PC version following the mobile version.

At first glance, these changes seem to be a win-win for both Daum Kakao and media outlets. According to the 2022 Media Audience Survey published by the Korea Press Foundation, Daum's news share on portal sites is 18.8%, significantly lagging behind Naver's 66.7%. From Kakao's perspective, this can be an opportunity to attract visitors who are far behind Naver and elevate its status as a portal once again. For media outlets, with more freedom in portal editing, it becomes possible to strategize to increase subscribers in new areas.

However, there is one prerequisite. When clicking on news on the portal, the so-called ‘outlink’ that moves users to the media outlet's site must be replaced by the ‘inlink’ method, where news is viewed within the Kakao website. To maximize the effect of the new policy, securing subscribers is paramount, and providing news through the inlink policy can lead to a chain increase in page views. While Kakao maintains its existing outlink policy, it secretly hopes that media outlets will choose the inlink method.

The focus on ‘outlink or inlink’ relates to the reality that domestic portals virtually monopolize all news distribution. During the 2018 Druking opinion manipulation incident, criticism arose that portal news comments were tools for manipulating public opinion, leading political circles to propose the ‘outlink’ method as an alternative to reduce portal influence. The current government also declared during the presidential transition committee period that it would change the news viewing method to outlink due to concerns about portal side effects. For media outlets, it is one of the few means to change the news distribution structure dependent on portals.

In particular, Kakao attracted attention inside and outside the media industry last year by being the first domestic portal to allow the outlink method. Many media outlets have used this as a means to upgrade their own websites and seek strategies to attract readers. Kakao's outlink became even more prominent when Naver decided to indefinitely postpone implementing outlink earlier this year.

There are also talks that Kakao will offer ‘carrots’ to content partners to activate the inlink method on the media outlet side. It is highly likely that they will have no choice but to accept Kakao's proposal.

However, switching to inlink does not align with the previous direction and is clearly not very helpful for the long-term development of the media. The media's dream of ‘de-portalization’ that has lasted over 10 years has become distant once again.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.