Tag: News Corp
Google give in to publishers like News Corp; free news access to be limited
Google's Josh Cohen announced that changes made to the First Click Free Programme would now allow publishers to charge for their premium content.
Myspace acquire flailing music streaming service Imeem
Up to half of Imeem's workforce now faces unemployment.
Build your own daily newspaper with Fingertips
Similar in practice to news sites such as NetVibes and Meehive, Fingertips hope that its simpler interface will find favour with news readers worldwide.
Ashes cricket set to go free-to-air
Sky currently has an exclusivity deal on the Ashes worth £250 million, but former FA chief David Davies, who is heading the review, believes that sporting events with such "national resonance" should be widely available beyond subscription services.
Hulu hitting the UK in September?
The Hulu that they do so well over in the States could be coming to the UK in a deal that would bring 3,000 hours of US TV to our virtual shores. The free to view VoD service is looking to buddy up with the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 in providing an internet platform where all their content can be viewed together in exactly the same way the Kangaroo couldn’t.
But there is a but – two, actually, if I write it like that. There’s issues with how Channel 4 and ITV wish to hold their advertising inventory around the player for their content and, with the Competition Commission lurking round the corner, there’s a horribly familiar feeling in the air that yet another good thing for the consumer could hit the bricks.
I was just about to say that Sky is bound to have a whinge about it, just as they did with Kangaroo, but maybe not so this time. Hulu is backed by News Corp, and News Corp owns Sky. So, maybe this thing does have legs after all.
Still a hell of a lot of teasing out of agreements to do in terms of rules and regs as well as the advertising issue, doubtless, but, fingers crossed, we might actually get what we want this time. Just a shame we needed an American company to come in and sort it out for us.
(via Telegraph)
Wall Street Journal pay-per-view for online content
News Corp’s the Wall Street Journal is to introduce a pay-per-view system for their online content. It’s unclear at the moment whether all their articles will be available subject to cost but what we do know is that the more specialist pieces will be more expensive.
The system is described by those inside as micro-payments but I start to wonder just how micro that becomes by the end of each year. The scheme is set to launch in the Autumn and doubtless all the traditional paper publishers will have their eyes very close to this one with probably both fingers and toes firmly crossed.
Is MySpace dumping Tom?
Tech industry website TechCrunch reckons that the founders of MySpace might soon be scanning the jobs pages, as owner News Corp’s CEO of Digital Media, Jonathan Miller, is looking to replace the CEO, CTO and President of the service.
It’s claimed that a decision has already been made to terminate co-founder Chris DeWolfe, the current CEO of the service. Apparently the senior executive team will soon follow, which includes Tom Anderson (President and default friend for any new signups on the site) and Aber Whitcomb (CTO).
What this means for the site is still unclear, though it’s been struggling to compete with upstarts Facebook and Twitter and only really holds ground in the music sphere. Apparently a new CEO has already been recruited and is in the final stages of contract negotiations. Whether he or she will be able to reverse MySpace’s terminal decline remains to be seen.
(via TechCrunch)
Battle of the social networking redesigns – new look MySpace landing next week
Facebook’s planned facelift has left poor old MySpace feeling a little bit glum, so it is treating itself to a spot of internet botox and collagen injections in order to widen its reach and win back traffic.
The waters are getting decidedly murky in the Microsoft-Yahoo takeover, with News Corp looking keen
Microsoft’s courtship of Yahoo became a little less than friendly over the weekend following Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s ultimatum, which included a three week deadline and a threat to usurp Yahoo’s board of directors. Now Yahoo appears to be seeking comfort in the arms of others in order to forestall the takeover while Microsoft is apparently finding more allies to strengthen its advances…
Is Rupert Murdoch eyeing up LinkedIn for a possible acquisition?
This geezer attempting a smile here is none other than Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corp. They already own MySpace, and a bunch of other online properties, but you see, herein lies the problem: old Mr. Murdoch is quite greedy, and if rumours are true, he’s considering buying LinkedIn.
The possible acquisition is rumoured to take place in January 2008, and as Tech Crunch states, LinkedIn’s…
