News Aggregators Under Scrutiny
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch recently slammed news aggregators at an FTC workshop, claiming they unfairly exploit content. He insisted these platforms use journalism, without financially contributing to its production, under the guise of fair use. His comments raise critical questions about the evolving dynamics of journalism, intellectual property rights, and the digital space.
What Does Murdoch Want?
Murdoch’s remarks indicate a desire for a radical revamp of fair use laws or possibly their abolishment. Yet, it’s uncertain if such an action would solve the revenue issues facing traditional news outlets. So, why wage a war against news aggregators?
News aggregators, such as Google News, and search engines are known to direct substantial free traffic to news sites. This flow was initially perceived as beneficial, potentially boosting ad revenue for content creators.
Can Publishers Exclude Themselves?
Contrary to the complaints, publishers hold the power to remove their content from search engines. Murdoch’s News Corp could erase their online presence from Google, Google News, Bing, and Yahoo by simply consulting their IT department.
However, Murdoch appears to want to have his cake and eat it too. He seems to want the benefits of traffic from aggregators and search engines, while simultaneously getting paid for it. In fact, rumors suggest that Murdoch is negotiating a deal with Microsoft’s Bing to secure such a payment.
Is Google Profiting from Murdoch’s Content?
Murdoch seems to believe that Google, with over 70% market share, profits from his online properties, such as the Wall Street Journal. This perception is not entirely unfounded, considering that the absence of big publishers could potentially make Google less appealing.
The Potential Impact of Removing Content
If all traditional media content were removed from Google’s search engine, what would be left? The results would primarily include blogs, independent sites, and Internet-only publications. But would this make Google less relevant or less frequented?
The truth is, even without mainstream media, news would still be reported. For example, social media, an important part of Google’s search results, is known for user-generated reporting. Thus, removing mainstream media from all search engines and news aggregation services wouldn’t stop news from being reported or discovered.
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