Slashdot Mirror
James Murdoch Criticizes BBC For Providing "Free News"
Hugh Pickens writes "News Corporation's James Murdoch says that a 'dominant' BBC threatens independent journalism in the UK and that free news on the web provided by the BBC made it 'incredibly difficult' for private news organizations to ask people to pay for their news. 'It is essential for the future of independent digital journalism that a fair price can be charged for news to people who value it,' says Murdoch. 'The expansion of state-sponsored journalism is a threat to the plurality and independence of news provision.' In common with the public broadcasting organizations of many other European countries, the BBC is funded by a television license fee charged to all households owning a television capable of receiving broadcasts. Murdoch's News Corporation, one of the world's largest media conglomerates, owns the Times, the Sunday Times and Sun newspapers and pay TV provider BSkyB in the UK and the New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and Fox News TV in the US." Note that James Murdoch is the son of Rupert Murdoch.
It is government sponsored. While the BBC is factual, trustworthy, and all that, other state sponsored media are not. Imagine being stuck with the Chinese, Iranian or North Korean state sponsored news organizations.
Also, I find it funny how so many people on Slashdot can cry fowl that all blank CD sales in Canada include a tax that goes to the recording industry (on the assumption that someone will illegally copy music onto the media), while it's okay for everyone that purchases a TV in Britain to have to support the BBC, whether they actually watch it or not.
Just because the BBC happens to be a decent news source does not mean that its funding or distribution is an ideal situation.
Better known as 318230.
If people really wanted to support paid for news sites they would with cold hard cash. It just seems that they are quite happy to get their news from free government supported news sites.
Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
To whoever modded me troll ... nice job. Try reading past the first line next time.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
3% == Americans who *want* health insurance but are not covered. A MINOR fix is needed not government monopoly takeover.
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100% == Americans who are *overcharged* for the health care they get compared to their neighbors in Europe (regardless of their *opinions* to the contrary).
"Don't be a martyr -- BE THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY!"