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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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News Corp. Talks Universal Paywall With Times, Post

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(Newser) – Executives at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. have been meeting with rival newspaper publishers about a consortium that would charge for web content. The publishers of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times are all believed to have met with Jonathan Miller, the News Corp. officer overseeing digital strategy. But analysts remain skeptical that any payment scheme will make a significant dent in papers' balance sheets.

While Murdoch's Wall Street Journal can rely on business subscribers who need timely information, individual readers have proven unwilling to buy general news online. One consultant tells the LA Times that a News Corp.-led consortium could make more money analyzing readers' habits across sites and selling data to advertisers. Any grouping, however, is likely to pique antitrust regulators who may view the idea as harming competition.

Jonathan Miller, left, at the annual Allen & Co.'s media summit in Sun Valley, Idaho, Friday, July 10, 2009.
Jonathan Miller, left, at the annual Allen & Co.'s media summit in Sun Valley, Idaho, Friday, July 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
News Corp, which owns the Wall Street Journal, has held discussions with rival media companies about charging for online content.
News Corp, which owns the Wall Street Journal, has held discussions with rival media companies about charging for online content.   (Flickr)
The Washington Post offices in DC.
The Washington Post offices in DC.   (Flickr)
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5 comments
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odowd80
Aug 21, 09 8:36 AM CDT
This is never going to work, but they can go ahead and try. Reply
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Thinker
Aug 21, 09 8:57 AM CDT
See, most of Murdoch's appeal is to an audience who can barely read and probably isn't online so they wont buy his news; the audience who is most likely to read online news only want their information from factual and objective news sources so they won't buy from him. Looks like the business community is the only group who will buy from Murdoch. So, this scheme could minimize the spread of misinformation among the masses and be a good thing in the long run. Reply
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pg13
Aug 21, 09 9:54 AM CDT
True. I cancelled my WSJ subscription back when Gigot took their editorial page to a new level of ultra neocon. Nobody wants to pay for that spew of lies.
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pg13
Aug 21, 09 9:51 AM CDT
Gee I wonder if WikiNews will join the consortium! Reply
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emilywsussman.net
Aug 21, 09 10:32 AM CDT
Wolffie... did you see this? Reply
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