Murdoch's Grand Hypocrisy

I can't think of any business model that would recommend taking your sites off Google. It would reduce your site traffic by a devastating degree. 


By doing exactly that, Rupert and James Murdoch have finally dropped all pretence and are nakedly out for world domination. Its either their worldview, that "there's no such thing as a free news story", or the way we currently digest our news in the 21st century. 


The Murdoch business model hates aggregation, and accuses aggregators of 'theft'. Yet how many news stories today come directly from free to access websites such as Twitter? With all external media banned from Iran during this years controversial election, I doubt Fox's news coverage would have been as effective without this crucial user generated content.


What the Murdoch empire fundamentally cannot comprehend is what the internet really is, and that is essentially a worldwide conversation. The advertising model has failed to monetise the web, and unfortunately for Murdoch, speech has and always will be free. He's trying to simplify the web and introduce a 20th century business model that simply won't succeed. I agree that something will have to replace the current advertising model, but I doubt it'll be his ideas. It will be one born out of the contemporary media sphere that we inhabit today, not of the last decade.


The Murdoch empire has a lot of weight, and they're sitting on their enemies with all their might. Its no coincidence that James Murdoch's sustained attack on Ofcom is during the regulators investigation of pay-TV. What is even more worrying is David Cameron's recent assertion that "with a conservative government, Ofcom as we know it will cease to exist." Murdoch senior's original target, the BBC, is still in his sights, and I fear for that establishment if Cameron's malleability to his desires continues. After Google, the BBC is the next giant the tycoon will be after, for they are his biggest enemy in offering free to access news.  


This article has been aggregated from several different, free to use, website sources.