Re:Response to Google open letter
by clouddrover on Monday August 17, 2020 @08:07AM
(#24186427)
> Because I'd be a little surprised if you'd be saying that given the quality of our mainstream "news" sources
So your solution is to make them even worse by letting Google bleed them dry?
What percentage of Australian's news reading goes through Google? What percentage of Australia's advertising spend does Google command?
Sure. Let them die - that ship has sailed. News Ltd and Nine have destroyed most of the quality journalism on their platforms already, and I honestly don't think anything this bill proposes will make it better.
I don't have all the answers, but the best way I think I can support quality journalism is to subscribe to some independent news sites now (Michael West, MacroBusiness, Anthony Klan's new site The Klaxon. Might think about Crikey too because it seems pretty good).
Re:Response to Google open letter
by clouddrover on Monday August 17, 2020 @10:06AM
(#24187329)
You mean those journalists who spent decades working for News Corp papers? Michael West did. Anthony Klan did. Anthony Klan is proud of his News Corporation Australia journalist of the year awards.
Seems like News Corp helped them both get started. Why shouldn't News Corp continue to fund others as well?
Not if they don't innovate. Music TV and movies have had to do so in the last 20 years, I don't see why news should be different.
Re:Response to Google open letter
by clouddrover on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:16AM
(#24195518)
What is the innovation you expect to see when Google siphons off their revenue?
70% of the commercial media here is controlled by one American company, and perhaps not coincidentally they have a very close relationship with the Government. The Government has literally just given their cable network $40 million dollars over the last few budgets, completely un-tendered and without any reporting requirements or anything, to "help advance women's sport" - even though 75% of Australians aren't subscribers and SBS would be a better venue for such content...