Comments on: Would Google make a good newspaper owner?

By: jessica

jessica — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:12:40 +0000

i think if google can help me it can help anyone

By: Fantasy Congress

Fantasy Congress — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:43:07 +0000

Seriously, I understand this site deals with media, but you folks have to understand that Google is a tech company that doesn’t produce it’s own content. Google would never buy it’s own TV station unless it allows it to somehow increase the content it would receive from all TV stations.

I agree with earlier posts that Google is already in the business of making the world a better place. No one needs to add the .org .

By: Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:09:03 +0000

Google deal with the FCC? No chance.

By: Tony Courtwright

Tony Courtwright — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:21:24 +0000

Forget the Utopian image…the scenario is more likely a “street fight” - Us against an emboldened Goostapo armed with quality local content producers, multiple distribution and delivery channels, local community & business relationships and strong trusted local brands. Call me paranoid but I’m thinking Googlezon 2.0.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:04:44 +0000

Google would go out of business if they brought the ‘free snack room’ concept to a TV news room.

However, having seen the Googlezon video a couple times too many, I’d be intrigued to see what Google could do in blending television with online. I think a Google driven TV / web venture could be profitable as long as they learn from mistakes made in the past (AOL / TimeWarner).

Newspapers on the other hand are having a hard time staying solvent due to rising costs in newsprint, distribution (gas) and salaries. I’m not sure what Google could do to change the downward spiral of newspapers.

By: discreet_chaos

discreet_chaos — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:41:38 +0000

…”a fan of profits, yet not profit-oriented”

I’m sorry, but I think that’s part of the utopian image which is thrust upon Google and when their growth plateaus, I’m certain that the shareholders are going to insist upon monetizing the parts of Google which don’t make a profit.

By: Olsen

Olsen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:14:53 +0000

Google is on the short list of Web sites making newspapers and television news a thing of the past. I’m all for free snacks, but I don’t see why Google would want in on an old media operation.

Google News is practically a public utility that treats all sources fairly based on incoming links and time it was indexed. If Google bought a paper, would that site get a Google pagerank of 10 and trump the Times and WSJ?

It seems like the whole thing would be a pain in Google’s ass. They make a living from building “what’s next” not “what used to be.”