The article which this post is in reference to is as follows:
The reason I find this so interesting is because it ties into our lessons of the important of data driven companies (or in our instance, journalism) in today’s market. It sort of boggles my mind that a corporation as large as Microsoft is not on the cutting edge of analytics while companies like Facebook, Google, and even Twitter are known for their analytical capabilities. That being said, this is proof that the need for data driven business is not going to go anywhere.
In reality, those who have the most accurate way of utilizing data, and predicting business through it, are at an extreme economic advantage. The same can be said about the journalistic world. It would help journalists like us better understand our demographics, and post accordingly. It would also help us see where concentrations of posts are being had during major events thus making finding sources that much easier.
All in all, probably a sounds investment for Microsoft.