There's A Problem With Facebook's Instant Articles (But Not The One You Think)

Facebook is rolling out its new "Instant Articles" publishing format today and the story is the online business journalism equivalent of a Kim Kardashian selfie. You can't keep from talking about it, even if you're not likely to have any direct interaction with the subject.

Instant Articles are stories from a small number of major media outlets that use a new publishing platform on Facebook. The goal is to have the select articles load up to ten times faster on the Facebook app. The platform is also designed to easily accomodate video and ads, with Facebook promising that it can sell any excess ad inventory that is available on the pages. Facebook also promises its partners will have additional abilities to publish interactive content and control the look of the pages. The initial media partners are a who's who of big online media, including The NY Times, Buzzfeed, National Geographic, NBC News and The Atlantic.

Based on the breathless reporting about it today, you would think that the biggest problem with the idea is that Facebook will inevitably put the screws to its partners. And based on this interview in The Verge, that's not an imaginary concern:

At the same time, Facebook’s growing power as a news distributor creates new revenue opportunities. Starting with the launch, publishers can now let Facebook sell ads on their instant articles, splitting revenue with Facebook. Or they can choose to sell the ads themselves, and keep all the revenue — for now, anyway. I asked Justin Osofsky, Facebook’s vice president of media partnerships, whether that was a limited-time offer that would change over time. "We’re committed to working with publishers in a way that gives them tools to build their business," he said. So eventually you’ll take, what, 20, 30 percent? I asked. "We’re going to work with publishers to give them tools that build their business," he repeated, unblinking.

But the real problem with the project is that it's just another nail through the heart of smaller, independent news web sites. Sure, Buzzfeed and the NY Times want more traffic from Facebook and they certainly publish great content. But their size also means that they have access to platforms and methods of promotion that are not  available to smaller publishers not owned by a big media company (or at least one with plenty of VC money).

Of the reasons why the Internet has become the go-to news source for so many readers is that you are able to tap into a wide breadth of content, ranging from the NY Times to Get Elastic. It's great that Facebook mobile users will now have easier access to a few select major media brands. But Instant Article is the journalistic equivalent of Peanut Butter Oreos. It's less about offering customers a choice and more about making it a bit more difficult to stumble across a competitor.

Instant Articles is a great business idea for Facebook and its partners. But it's a step backwards for readers who value variety over brand loyalty and relevance over media partnerships.