III. Three Other Information-Intensive Sectors

In order to gain further insight into the relative importance of the various PageRanks, the DLL obtained PageRank data for the Home Pages of prominent organizations in three other information-intensive sectors: information technology (broadly defined), media (broadly defined) and governance, i.e., government and policy/politics.

A. Information Technology Sector

The PageRanks for vendors of computer hardware, software, networks, and Internet standards organizations are shown in Table A (below)

Table A. Information Technology Sector
Updated from Silver Spring, Md -- 10/6, 10/7, 10/8

PageRanks
March 2006
October 2006
10
 Microsoft (+1), Apple, Google, W3C
9
 Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, MSN, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sun, Oracle, AOL, Yahoo, Verisign, IETF Dell (+1), Symantec (+1), IANA (+1), Linux (+1) Cisco, Intel, MSN, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sun, Oracle, AOL, Yahoo, Verisign, IETF
8
 Dell, Symantec, Novell, Nortel, Verizon, 3Com, Fujitsu, Blackboard, IANA, Linux Toshiba (+1), Lenovo (+1), Novell, Nortel, Verizon, 3Com, Fujitsu, Blackboard
7
 Gateway, Toshiba, Lenovo, Nintendo, NCR, Desire2Learn Gateway, Nintendo, NCR, Desire2Learn

Comments:

  • In March 06, The DLL only found three organizations -- Apple, Google, and the W3C -- that received Google's highest PageRank = 10; but by October 06, Microsoft had moved into this top level


B. Media

The PageRanks for the Home Pages of print, broadcast, cable, and internet publishing media are found in Table B (below):

Table B. Media
Updated from Silver Spring, Md -- 10/6, 10/7, 10/8

PageRanks
March 2006
October 2006
10
 New York Times
9
 Washington Post, Wired, The Economist, Science, Nature, Chronicle of Higher Education, National Public Radio (NPR), CNN, BBC Washington Post, Wired, The Economist, Science, Nature, Chronicle of Higher Education, CNN, BBC
8
 Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Time, Newsweek, Atlantic Monthly, CBS, ABC, NBC, HBO, Slate National Public Radio (NPR) (-1), USA Today (+1), Bloomberg (+1), U.S.News & World Report (+1), Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Time, Atlantic Monthly, CBS, ABC, HBO, Slate, YouTube, Friendster, Second Life
7
 USA Today, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, BET, Bloomberg, U.S.News & World Report Newsweek (-1), NBC (-1), Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, BET, MySpace, Facebook, Electonic Arts

Comments:

  • During both observation periods, the DLL only found one organization in this group -- The the New York Times -- that received the highest PageRank = 10

  • A few prominent media organizations added to the October observations (because they should have also been included in the March edition) are highlighted in red print.


C. Governance -- Government and Policy/Politics

The PageRanks for the Home Pages of the governance organizations are shown in Table C (below):

Table C. Governance -- Government and Policy/Politics
Updated from Silver Spring, Md -- 10/6, 10/7, 10/8

PageRanks
March 2006
October 2006
10
 National Science Foundation (NSF), White House (+3)
9
 U.S.House, U.S. Senate, State, Homeland Security, Labor, Commerce, Education, Agriculture, Health & Human Services,
GAO, EPA, NASA, DARPA, NIH, Library of Congress, National Academies, World Bank, UN		 HUD (+1), U.S.House, U.S. Senate, State, Homeland Security, Labor, Commerce,Agriculture, Health & Human Services, EPA,DARPA, NIH, Library of Congress, National Academies, UN
8
 Supreme Court, Transportation, HUD, Veteran's Affairs,
CIA, NSA, FAA,
NAACP, MoveOn.org, Electronic Frontier, NEA		 Education (-1), GAO (-1), NASA (-1), World Bank (-1), Defense (+1), Treasury (+1), Justice (+1), Transportation, Veteran's Affairs, CIA, NSA, FAA, MoveOn.org, Electronic Frontier
7
 White House, Defense, Interior, Treasury, Justice,
DNC, RNC, Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, AFL-CIO, American Enterprise Institute, Cato, Brookings, Economic Policy Institute		 Supreme Court (-1), NAACP (-1), NEA (-1), Interior,DNC, RNC, Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, AFL-CIO, American Enterprise Institute, Cato, Brookings, Economic Policy Institute
6
 CBCF, Teamsters Energy (-4), CBCF, Teamsters,

Comments:

  • This sector is more volatile than the others as indicated by the number of organizations receiving lower PageRanks in October than in March.

  • Perhaps most surprising is the precipitious fall of the U.S. Department of Energy from PageRank = 10 to PageRank = 6. Indeed, the appearance of this Department at the top of the rankings in March caused the DLL to confirm and reconfirm its position many, many times. Even more confirmations were made of its much lower ranking during the October observation period.

  • Almost as surprising is the surge of the White House from PageRank = 7 to PageRank = 10. Why did the White House receive such a low PageRank in March? Was the surge to the top spot in October a reflection of the corresponding surge in online political activity during the second half of the 2006 election year?


Last updated: Thursday 19-Oct-2006 11:27 PM