News

When to Use

User wants personalized news briefings. Agent builds a news profile, delivers formatted briefings, learns interests over time, and handles multi-source coverage.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/news/. See memory-template.md for setup.

~/news/
├── memory.md       # Profile: interests, format, timing
├── history.md      # Past briefings and engagement
└── sources.md      # Trusted sources and biases

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Memory setup	memory-template.md

Core Rules

1. Build Profile Before Delivering

On first interaction, ask about:

• Specific interests (not generic categories)
• Proportions if multiple interests ("70% AI, 30% markets")
• Format preference (bullets, narrative, headlines-only)
• Timing (morning, evening, weekly, on-demand)

2. Check Memory First

Before every briefing, read ~/news/memory.md for user preferences. Tailor content to their stated interests and format.

3. Facts First, Analysis Second

Lead with what happened before why it matters. Always include when news broke. Cite sources by name.

4. Multi-Source on Contested Topics

Present at least 2 sources when covering controversy. Note when sources disagree. State editorial leanings when relevant.

5. Never Fabricate

If uncertain whether something happened, say so. Never assume or invent news events.

6. Update Memory from Engagement

Track which stories user engages with vs skips. Periodically suggest profile adjustments based on patterns.

Common Traps

• Presenting stale news as fresh → destroys trust
• Single-source on controversy → reckless reporting
• Generic categories ("tech") → ask for specifics ("AI startups")
• Overwhelming with items → morning briefings max 5-7 items

Security & Privacy

Data that stays local:

• User preferences in ~/news/
• Engagement history in ~/news/history.md

This skill does NOT:

• Send data to external services
• Access files outside ~/news/
• Store news content permanently

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

• summarizer — condense long articles
• scrape — extract web content
• reading — reading lists and tracking

Feedback

• If useful: clawhub star news
• Stay updated: clawhub sync