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The Google News Dilemma

Posted by timothy on from the to-beta-or-not-to-beta dept.

(54)T-Dub writes "Wired has an interesting article about the status of news.google.com. It has been 3 years since its release and the major bugs have long since been ironed out, so why is it still in beta? Apparently, it's because Google hasn't been able to figure out how to make money off of it. Slapping up some Google Adwords seems like the obvious solution. The problem is that Google News has multi-million-dollar news publishers scared because of the incredibly low-cost method that Google has employed to bring us 'up the minute news.' Currently they are able to scrape the content of news sites under fair use because they are not using it for commercial purposes. Once they move away from the nonprofit, educational purposes of their system they can expect to be deluged by cease and desist orders. Before you break out the tissue box though, remember that google sent their own cease and desist orders to a Google News RSS feeder a few months back."

21 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. Dilemma? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=dilemma&r =67

    1. Re:Dilemma? by magefile · · Score: 2, Funny

      Dilemma? Is that like Da Bears? We begin by assuming that Di Lemma is true ...

    2. Re:Dilemma? by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Funny

      And the true, true irony....

      http://news.google.com/news?q=dilema

  2. For more information... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...visit Google News.

  3. This has been known on Slashdot for some time. by chill · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Create some cool web portal things
    2. Drive traffic to it
    3. ??
    4. Profit!

    Google, like the rest of the world, is still stuck on figuring out #3. :-)

    -Charles

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    1. Re:This has been known on Slashdot for some time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm sorry, you use the words "Slashdot" and "cream of the web community" in the same sentence. Hasn't anyone told you that getting modded up as "funny" doesn't get you karma?

    2. Re:This has been known on Slashdot for some time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I like the SouthPark approach myself.

      Step 1 - Steal underpants
      Step 2 - ???
      Step 3 - PROFIT!

      Kyle: What's step 2?
      Google/Underpants Gnome: Step 1 - Steal Underpants
      Step 2 - ???
      Step 3 - PROFIT!

  4. gmail content by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    well they can still take stories out of your gmail account and present those as news

    1. Re:gmail content by Doesn't_Comment_Code · · Score: 2, Funny

      well they can still take stories out of your gmail account and present those as news


      And in other news...

      Your sister just broke it off with that jerk she was dating.

      And your mother's VCR didn't work on the timed record setting last night. Please let her know if any of your friends have "Trading Spouses" on tape.

      --

      Slashdot Syndrome: the sudden, extreme urge to correct someone in order to validate one's self.
  5. This Post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Is Beta... until I make some money that is.

    1. Re:This Post by Doesn't_Comment_Code · · Score: 4, Funny

      Why stop there?

      The next time my mother-in-law asks why I don't make more money, I'm going to tell her I'm in Beta.

      --

      Slashdot Syndrome: the sudden, extreme urge to correct someone in order to validate one's self.
  6. Re:Bad Grammar...? by ari_j · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do we have editors over here?

    Face it - tech news is the field for people who really sucked at both technical writing and journalism. You're not going to find the best writers aspiring to be techno-journalists.

  7. Re:Bad Grammar...? by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wired not work good beer without.

  8. Re:Bad Grammar...? by nomadic · · Score: 5, Funny

    Am I reading it wrong, or is the title of that Wired article (Google News: Beta Not Make Money) really bad grammar? Do they have editors over there?

    Tarzan like job at wired but miss jungle.

  9. google news? by Triumph+The+Insult+C · · Score: 2, Funny

    wait, you mean google is useful for stuff other than finding porn and fixing linux kernel module compilation errors?

    --
    vodka, straight up, thank you!
  10. Re:Bad Grammar...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Oh no! Beta!"

    -Snake, from The Simpsons

  11. I can relate by Chimmy+Chonga · · Score: 3, Funny

    My current employment is beta, until I make some money that is.

  12. Mo Money Google by Mulletproof · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Apparently, it's because Google hasn't been able to figure out how to make money off of it.

    At $135 per share, I'm thinking somebody has fgured out how to make money off of it ;)

    --
    You need a FREE iPod Nano
  13. It sounds as if by Enrico+Pulatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

    the best plan to make money is to hold other news sites hostage. Good ole extortion, that's a great way to make money. Offer to make Google News worse if the 10 largest competitors pay up proper.

  14. Re:Bad Grammar...? by wuice · · Score: 2, Funny

    As someone once told me after looking at my personal weblog, "Here's a piece of advice, fire all your geeks and hire one news guy."

  15. The best part is... by marshmeli · · Score: 1, Funny

    that on the ad on this story, there is the Google ad that states:
    "Can your website make you even more money?"

    Maybe they should take their own advice...