Below is a link to my screencast presentation on India

The biggest differences I noticed with the living stories approach was the idea of putting everything all on one page, video, slideshows, related stories, timelines, anything related to the story is all available in one spot. No redirecting to other pages or opening new windows to view information. I liked this very much. By keeping everything on the same URL access to all information is very quick and readily available. Another difference is the way google is personalizing the news to individual readers, mostly by directing your attention to to new developments and graying out areas you have already viewed in stories that you have been to before. This is very different as with other news sources when you go back to a story you see all the stuff you already read, as if it was your first time viewing the story. This format definitely "personalizes" news stories to the individual reader more than any other approach I am familiar with.

As far as bias, I dont think the format or approach to presenting the news will have any effect one way or another as long as these tools are made available to all reputable news agencies. While using only two news sources could surely create bias, but as this is only in the development stage Im sure google plans to expand its network of resources. Honestly I dont think anything will reduce bias in the media until they no longer are subservient to the powerful elite of our society.

Something I would like to see added to this news format is the addition of more sources of information. Google says on their own blog that they are taking the content from the Washington Post and New York Times only at this time. I understand this is still a developing idea, but shouldnt it be relatively easy for google to examine and add other published news sources to this format? This would give the reader more opportunity to compare and contrast the event or story they are following. Being new to this whole "Living Stories" approach to news I will have to use it more before I can really elaborate on things I would to see added.