We should all be so lucky to “flail” like him. Multiple highly profitable media outlets, while the rest of the landscape contracts… yeah, I think I’ll defer to him on this one, he’s got the experience and resume to suggest he knows what he’s doing.

If anything, it should be the reverse: News Corp ought be begging for Google to even allow them to be apart of the search results.

Markos Moulitsas had a great point: Google should just pre-emptively block all of News Corps search results (in Google News). Just do it right now. It’s not that difficult. After a while Murdoch will realize its insanely stupid. Yes, it cuts into your own revenue. But the amount of traffic getting lost not just from lack of Google hits, but also from blocking out timid web surfers through locking content, will probably make him reconsider his strategy. He’s in the news providing business – not exactly something that’s unique on the internet.

Although… I do understand some of the argument. I know, I know… a “real journalist” isn’t supposed to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, when that person is on the right, associated with FOX in any way, or somehow doing something not Democratic Party approved … but hear me out. Google has become a HUGE empire, and has done so on the backs of other people’s hard work. They’re a search engine, so they direct people to the stuff that other people have done, and make money in the process.

From a business and financial point of view, why should they make money of MY effort? If it weren’t for me producing a product someone wants, they wouldn’t have anything to point to, and thusly wouldn’t be able to make huge profits. Shouldn’t I then get some of that money?

Now, IMO, Google return is seen by increased traffic to the site, and that’s how money is made… so the going through the effort of trying to collect from Google (or any search engine) might prove difficult, and a net negative… especially if Google takes you off the map. So, this could all be for show… perhaps Google caves first, saying “We want your product on our site, we’ll give you a cut of the revenue.” But perhaps Google sees it as a slippery slope, ignores NewsCorp, and then who’s the winner? If I had to guess, it’s a little pushing and shoving, and we’ll see who blinks first.

That’s a far cry from a “done deal” from the shrewdest guy in the media business. Sounds more like an opening salvo for some sort of negotiation regarding compensation & use.