Looks like they're studying news.google.com at Berkeley.
From:
http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/academics/courses/is214/s03/google.html
Description of the project
Google News is a beta offering from Google. It "offers a news service compiled solely by computer algorithms without human intervention". As a result in addition to evaluating the site layout, content organization (e.g. automated grouping process), and supporting features (e.g. "sort by date" function), we will consider how well the content satisfies users "need for news". For example, do individuals prefer the contents of news sites which utilize more human interaction when choosing content?
In addition, depending on the methods we decide to undertake and the results we receive, it may be necessary to cover some concepts related to news presentation. For example, how does context influence a person's perception of a news item? Does an individual's understanding of an article on "total information awareness" differ if it is displayed within a Technology or General News section?