Cable Forum - Murdoch may block Google searches

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Maggy

10-11-2009 09:30

Murdoch may block Google searches

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8351331.stm

Quote:

Rupert Murdoch has said he will try to block Google from using news content from his companies. The billionaire told Sky News Australia he will explore ways to remove stories from Google's search indexes, including Google News.
Mr Murdoch's News Corp had previously said it would start charging online customers across all its websites.
He believes that search engines cannot legally use headlines and paragraphs of news stories as search results.

Good luck with that one Mr M..and no wonder the Murdochs have been slamming the BBC seeing as the BBC doesn't charge extra from their customers to use their online content.

Earl of Bronze

10-11-2009 09:45

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Murdoch is a horrible excuse for a human being, and a bit of a nazi. ;)

downquark1

10-11-2009 09:49

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

1) google already offer control over whether your site is indexed or not

2) They are going to cut off everyone who uses google and searches for specific events

Paul	10-11-2009 09:52

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

His loss, if people dont find it in google they will simply read it from another site they do find.

Stuart

10-11-2009 10:25

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl of Bronze (Post 34907290)

Murdoch is a horrible excuse for a human being, and a bit of a nazi. ;)

He may well be, but he is not in the newspaper business to give people free access to the news, he is in it to make money. If he is not making money from google, it's his right to stop them indexing his sites.

And, TBH, I agree with him. Google make a lot of money from doing this, yet pass very little on to the content providers they get it from.

Damien

10-11-2009 10:44

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C (Post 34907317)

Don't they just link to their site?

downquark1

10-11-2009 10:48

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

In my day services paid to be listed in a directory :pp

Stuart

10-11-2009 10:58

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34907335)

Don't they just link to their site?

They do, but I don't think that the content providers get anything when people just skim the headlines.

punky

10-11-2009 11:01

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 34907279)

Good luck with that one Mr M..and no wonder the Murdochs have been slamming the BBC seeing as the BBC doesn't charge extra from their customers to use their online content.

Worth pointing out that The Guardian said this first but doesn't quite back up everyone's pre-conceived notions that well.

Stuart

10-11-2009 11:07

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky (Post 34907346)

Worth pointing out that The Guardian said this first but doesn't quite back up everyone's pre-conceived notions that well.

Not a case of pre-conceived notions. More that the Murdoch companies (several of them) have been most vociferous in their opposing of free content in general and the BBC in particular.

Still, the fact remains that the content is owned by News International. It is their right to remove or charge for access to it, and it's also their problem if fewer people view it as a result.

Damien

10-11-2009 11:07

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky (Post 34907346)

Worth pointing out that The Guardian said this first but doesn't quite back up everyone's pre-conceived notions that well.

The Guardian said they would block Google?

Peter_

10-11-2009 11:09

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Anything that stops people viewing anything to do with News International I am all for it, nice one rupert.:D

punky

10-11-2009 11:24

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34907354)

The Guardian said they would block Google?

I can't find an exact link where Guardian explicit say they will block Google from aggregating their news but here is a link from the time.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/200...06124331.shtml

I did remember The Guardian definitely said they will look at blocking Google from aggregating their news.

Essentially the same complaint.

---------- Post added at 12:24 ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 ----------

I can't find the thread on here but someone did make a really insightful comment. Something along the lines of: Maybe Google can block The Guardian as they are getting a free research tool for their journalists.

Damien

10-11-2009 11:27

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

I think The Guardian explicitly said they would not block Google News because it would, obviously, leave them devoid of traffic:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technol..._about_Google/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guardian

Content creators cannot simply remove their content from the dominant player because the damage to their business would be significant. As such, this increasingly appears to be an issue that requires examination from the point of view of competition law principles.

I don't think headlines count, Google get money from people using them as what is essential a front end to many sites. They still link to the content, which is where the news companies need to find a way to gain profit from their work.

I am not sure where the companies can claim that Google saying "this content can be found here" is unfair. By that logic anyone who makes a site is contributing towards Google's profits by being something to index and therefore should be paid! As the Guardian point out by preventing their site to be indexed they will lose a ton of traffic.

They can't have it both ways. Google gives them traffic and pays for the pleasure of doing so.

TheDaddy

11-11-2009 05:51

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34907365)

As the Guardian point out by preventing their site to be indexed they will lose a ton of traffic.

They can't have it both ways. Google gives them traffic and pays for the pleasure of doing so.

Plus they all have adverts, are they going to pay google for each person they direct to their sites? Funny Rupert doesn't mention that, they need each other much like the crocodile and the plover bird and guess which organisation is represented by the slimy reptile.

Stuart

11-11-2009 08:17

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 34907809)

RM has said elsewhere that in current economic conditions, the income from advertising does not meet the costs of the service.

Horace

11-11-2009 10:16

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

The more you tighten your grip Murdoch, the more readers will slip through your fingers.

Flyboy

11-11-2009 11:10

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Ah well...once Rupert has his favourite puppet in Number Ten, he can write his own laws.

Hugh	11-11-2009 11:57

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 34907929)

Ah well...once Rupert has his favourite puppet in Number Ten, he can write his own laws.

Ahem......
From the Independent

Quote:

IN JULY 1995, Tony Blair flew halfway round the world to cement his relationship with Rupert Murdoch at a News Corporation conference. Introducing him, the media tycoon joked: "If the British press is to be believed, today is all part of a Blair-Murdoch flirtation. If that flirtation is ever consummated, Tony, I suspect we will end up making love like two porcupines - very carefully."
For Mr Blair, the relationship bore fruit when he was elected with the key support of the Sun. But Mr Murdoch had to wait until yesterday for full satisfaction when No 10 launched a passionate attack on his critics after the Lords passed an anti-Murdoch amendment to the Competition Bill.

And let's not forget the "Murdoch Clause", as highlighted in the Guardian

Quote:

Freedom of information files released to the Guardian reveal how the media tycoon Rupert Murdoch wields extensive lobbying clout over the Blair government.

Mr Murdoch secured private reassurances from ministers during heavy lobbying that he would be able to buy Channel Five if he wanted to, according to partly censored documents released by the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell.
In previously undisclosed meetings, representatives of the Murdoch empire were able to lobby ministers six times in a crucial five-month period when an important bill was passing through parliament. Citizens' groups have said they were unable to get similar face-to-face access to ministers.

Flyboy

11-11-2009 12:13

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Didn't happen though, did it? So, Blair wasn't as compliant as people were trying to make out. Can't see Cameron being so reticent.

handyman

11-11-2009 12:54

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Can't Murdock just use spider.txt to block search engine spiders from certain parts of his sites? This is not a new thing to be able to do in fact it's a basic part of running any website.

He'd be well hacked off though if Google did not index his site at all. I run a small site and we would lose over Â£50,000 revenue PA if Google did not list us.

Hugh	11-11-2009 13:41

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 34907963)

Didn't happen though, did it? So, Blair wasn't as compliant as people were trying to make out. Can't see Cameron being so reticent.

Only because the Government was made, by the Lords, to make some last-minute amendments to the Bill - link (under much protest).

And as Alastair Campbell (Blair's spin-meister) deputy stated

Quote:

Lance Price, Mr Campbell's deputy, called Mr Murdoch "the 24th member of the [Blair] Cabinet". He added: "His presence was always felt. No big decision could ever be made inside No10 without taking account of the likely reaction of three men, Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Rupert Murdoch. On all the really big decisions, anybody else could safely be ignored."

Must be a new definition of reticent I hadn't come across before.

RizzyKing

11-11-2009 16:05

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Can't stand murdoch and personally i am in favour of anything that means less people read any of the content spewed out from his rags so come on rupert don't let it just be words put it into action soon as. Whatever government gets in will court this slimeball as right now like it or not he is able to influence so red, blue or yellow they will all be trying to be his friend if they win no difference between any of them on that score.

rogerdraig

11-11-2009 17:55

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

i think if he goes ahead with this and the charging for his papers and sky news content we may see the start of a new era with out big business running the news

as i think people are now too aware of how to access news and information with out any of the main news providers

one of the commentators one of the news stations got on to discuss the air crash where the captain landed safely on the river said the he thought the biggest story that day was the panic that ensued at the various news networks of how to put up news that was new and not already known by most because of twitter txting and alike had already informed most people the presenter tried to go to a different subject but the other people they had there were agreeing too lol

i think any news organisation who makes it hard to access it will loose people quickly

so i hope they go ahead lol :)

TheDaddy

12-11-2009 05:46

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreverwar (Post 34907953)

Ahem......
From the Independent

Also from The Independent

David Cameron has been accused of making a "contract" with Britain's biggest media company to trade political support before an election for government favours afterwards if the Tories win.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...h-1819010.html

Hugh	12-11-2009 07:46

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 34908381)

You're right - but I was replying to the point that only the Tories were part of this type of thing. ;)

Maggy

12-11-2009 09:37

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky (Post 34907346)

Worth pointing out that The Guardian said this first but doesn't quite back up everyone's pre-conceived notions that well.

You bet I have pre-conceived notions about the Murdoch empire.Be under no illusions that the power that this company/family has will be used for the benefit of the UK citizens, no matter how much the media owned by this family touts itself as defending the good and honest British people from immigrants,terrorists,poor Labour government(despite being so keen at the start),PC'ness and every other rubbish they can dredge up that divides and polarises our society.

I'd rather see the power of our media shared around a little more so that no one has the ability to dictate favourable terms, to get rich quicker and to make political policy without ever standing for government.

broadbandking

12-11-2009 09:48

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Another way to make money, don't people pay for a internet service to be able use websites freely

Hugh	12-11-2009 20:45

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

No - they pay for an internet service to be able to access the internet.

broadbandking

13-11-2009 09:19

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

So people pay for a internet service so they can access the web but I can't freely use a website that I choose, I understand some you have to sign up and pay for certain contents, but news should be freely not charged for, BBC news is free so I use them in future, just away of getting money.

Stuart

13-11-2009 10:21

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadbandking (Post 34908986)

In fairness to RM, he is not in business to give stuff to people for free. He is in it to make money.

If he wants to charge for access to his site, that's his business. It's also his problem if he loses visitors.

broadbandking

13-11-2009 10:45

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Yes I get this but if he offers this for free now why suddenly does it have to be charged for he is just a money grabber in my eyes.

He really isn't a nice guy in my eyes he is evil and this shows when he shut down the paaper he owed just because they was anti maggie and him and her was friends.

Flyboy

13-11-2009 12:49

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C (Post 34909017)

Which begs the question, "why is he doing it." Surely people will just not use his sites and get their news for free from other sources.

This is why he is attacking the BBC and why he has become one of the "Friends of Dave." He wants the Tory party in his pocket in order to decide in media policy. He has already persuaded them to decide to close OFCOM, if they ever come to power and it will be he, who will decide on the regulations himself.

rogerdraig

13-11-2009 21:27

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 34909076)

hey a post i can agree with you on ( we do have some common ground ;) )

yep forgot about that his son was on about that and a few other things basicaly trying to say they should stop the BBC and others providing free content ( yep i know we pay a license fee ) so they could make more money

hopefully though it will all back fire on him :)

Flyboy

13-11-2009 22:48

Re: Murdoch may block Google searches

It seems like a common theme this week for Murdoch. :D

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