Vanity Fair: Rupert to Internet: It’s War!

Posted on 4 October, 2009 by Martin Stabe

"I have—in nine months of conversation with Murdoch, writing his biography after he bought the Journal, in 2007— often argued the nature of Internet culture with him to little avail. Murdoch can almost single-handedly take apart and re-assemble a complex printing press, but his digital-technology acumen and interest is practically zero. Murdoch’s abiding love of newspapers has turned into a personal antipathy to the Internet: for him it’s a place for porn, thievery, and hackers."

Roy Greenslade: Murdoch is wrong to charge for online content

Posted on 8 August, 2009 by Martin Stabe

Roy Greenslade: "I concede that there are many supporters of Murdoch's move too. The split is both philosophical and practical. There are those (with whom I agree) who believe that the digital media revolution is in the process of transforming journalism and those (such as Murdoch and most traditional newspaper publishers) who believe the net is merely another platform rather than an instrument of transformation. It follows that if you wish to continue to fund traditional journalism that you require similar revenues, hence the Murdoch charging strategy."