LOS ANGELES (YBH.ME) – Indomitable 78 year old Rupert Murdoch is still ready to roll up his sleeves and fight, this time over stanching the flow of his news organizations’ paid-for content to free sites like Google and the BBC.
Rupert Murdoch looks to remake internet news.
The frontier days of the internet are drawing to a close, as information providers seek ways to have end users pay for content. Currently, established news organizations, with paid reporters, brick and mortar offices and an editorial infrastructure are bleeding red ink due in part to easy and free access to their articles on the web.
Early on, only the Wall Street Journal, a general news organization with a business focus (now owned by Murdoch) , was aggressive in forcing online users of their website to pay for content. Thanks to that initially unpopular and scoffed-at stance, they are now the only profitable major newspaper. The WSJ site offers headlines, opinion pieces and teasers for articles free, while in depth site use requires a reasonable sign up fee.
A visit to the Google News site reveals they have links to numerous articles, with the originating news organizations being credited. Google is a public company earning billions as the undisputed emperor of internet advertising. A look at Google News shows a home page with multiple headlines and links, which credits all sources and shows bylines where available. The BBC site posts information without crediting original sources or authors (content owners). Also, the BBC site pages feature ads by Google, which generates substantial income for the well-trafficked site.
Murdoch has stated the suit would be brought to upend “a doctrine called “fair use”, which we believe can be challenged in the courts and will bar it altogether.” If upheld, even the use of teaser headlines and bits of content would have to be paid for.
The news business, sustained for over a century by advertiser support, is in complete economic disarray, with even the venerable New York Times operating well into the red and laying off staff.
Upstart content providers with high web traffic like Politico are all for change, as founder Jim VandeHei notes about Murdoch,”I hope he does it, because once someone does, everyone will.”
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Laura spent years as a Hollywood story analyst, did a big 180, and is now an entrepreneur focused on web marketing and analytics. She's also a mom of one.Laura Glendinning article archive.
