Pioneer or Follower? (Authority Multiplier)

It is the authority multiplier calculated in a 3-day window determining whether a source is generally the first to break the news or gives the news later.

If your publication time is always the earliest among all references of a news item in the same group, the source gains authority. In the authority window of the last 3 days, if the source’s first publication rate is ≥60%, it receives the PIONEER (1.5× authority multiplier) label, if <30%, the FOLLOWER (0.5× authority multiplier) label. If there is not enough data in the system (less than 3 items), the multiplier is fixed at 1.0×.

Example: A news site grabbing the ‘Pioneer’ multiplier by being the source that always announces an event first within the last three days.

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This authority mechanism separates sites that exist merely by using agency bulletins from sites that break the news first by showing their own editorial reflex. Pioneer sources get the chance to directly stand out in the feed thanks to the 1.5× authority multiplier. Followers, on the other hand, drop their multiplier by taking a 0.5× authority multiplier due to their publication times. This structure is a simple and effective way to mathematically reward the journalism that truly researches and breaks the news first within the system.