Murdoch - More Threats To Charge For News
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Rupert Murdoch the media mogul is now beating his drum and states that by next summer there will be no more free news from his companies. You will pay to read his news and you will pay dearly for this privilege. It a recent article this man states that:
“Quality journalism is not cheap,” said Murdoch. “The digital revolution has opened many new and inexpensive distribution channels but it has not made content free. We intend to charge for all our news websites.”
Murdoch said he had completed a review of the possibility of charging and that he was willing to take the risk of leading the industry towards a pay-per-view model: “I believe that if we’re successful, we’ll be followed fast by other media.”
He accepted that there could be a need for furious litigation to prevent stories and photographs being copied elsewhere: “We’ll be asserting our copyright at every point.”Among quality newspapers, Murdoch singled out the Daily Telegraph’s run of stories about MPs’ expenses as an example of news for which consumers would be willing to pay, describing it as a “great scoop”: “I’m sure people would be very happy to pay for that.”
Murdoch said change was inevitable: “We’re certainly satisfied that we can produce significant revenues from the sale of digital delivery of newspaper content.”
What is surprising is that this new model of news distribution will not take place until next summer. Why the wait? I wish this man success since at 78 years old, and with a worth of some $8B plus, he is not satisfied with his GOD [Money] that he wants to continue to accumulate more.
Comments welcome.
PS Does anyone want to bet that Google doesn’t find a new source to provide the news for free? LOL
13 Comments
OmniDragon
August 6th, 2009
at 3:07pm
He’s a tired, old man who needs to go down for the dirt nap before he ruins the entire web. Speaking of Google, there’s a company that actually knows how to make money from advertising. You would think that at 78, a person would know how to do that, but I bet my eight year old nephew knows more about tech than this senile, old fool.
Hey, Rupert, I won’t pay for ANY of your news, just like I won’t pay to read the Wall Street Journal, either. I couldn’t imagine actually having to pay to digest that unpalatable garbage that he calls “news”.
Robert Glen Fogarty
August 6th, 2009
at 4:18pm
He’s like a cranky old steamboat captain threatening to charge for passage across the Atlantic in his leaky tub when we’re already cruising in jets over it for free.
Ron Schenone
August 6th, 2009
at 4:50pm
Thanks for the comments. It looks like many of us are on the same page.
Ryan Farmer
August 6th, 2009
at 9:37pm
You know Ron…..”SOME PEOPLE SAY” that Fox News is full of crap… (I’m one of them)
Murdoch isn’t worth free, what makes him think most people want to pay him for his skewed and corrupt spin on the news?
Ryan Farmer
August 6th, 2009
at 9:38pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYA9ufivbDw
Some people say…
Ron Schenone
August 7th, 2009
at 5:44am
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for the link. That was great. I’m not a Fox News fan either.
Hotrao
August 7th, 2009
at 6:33am
I agree that quality journalism is not cheap and that “all free” paradigm is not sustainable. Seems to me quite stupid the idea to made everything pay per use, because of crisis times, because of limited resources of families, because people spend a lot for cable and satellite tv.
But what makes me think a lot is the fact that this move is completely useless if not accompanied by a plan to enlarge the possible users basis.
Developing countries cannot afford to pay for every information and information is the basis of freedom and development.
And also without being “populistic” or democratic, on an economic point of view, the information market for developed countries can be considering quite saturated and so new users should be found in developing countries, but, of course, should be found something that is not on a pay basis.
And I’m confident too that Google will find an innovative way for delivering free quality informations.
Despite of Mr. Murdoch.
Ron Schenone
August 7th, 2009
at 8:53am
Hi Hotrao,
I read somewhere that the folks in Asia are biting at the reins to be the new free news source. I’m not sure how valid that assumption is or whether it will hold true.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. It is appreciated.
Regards, Ron
Jeff
August 7th, 2009
at 10:41am
The Murdoch empire does not report news, they create it with their twisted brand of distortion and lies.
Ryan Farmer
August 7th, 2009
at 11:38am
He can put Fox Noise behind a fire wall, he can put Fox Noise behind a pay wall, he can put Fox Noise behind any kind of wall he likes, so long as it’s BEHIND the wall where I don’t have to see it.
Ron Schenone
August 7th, 2009
at 12:29pm
Thanks for the comments.
Murdoch and pay per news « How I see the world
August 8th, 2009
at 1:42am
[...] Murdoch and pay per news Ron Schenone at Lockergnome writes an article reporting that Mr. Murdoch is predicting (threating) that within next year no more free news will be available from his companies (full article at http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/08/06/murdoch-more-threats-to-charge-for-news/). [...]
Mike Burks
August 8th, 2009
at 6:40pm
Murdoch would not know quality journalism if it bit him on the butt, even the side where he doesn’t carry his wallet.