Google to limit free news access?
submitted by markodonoghue on 02 December 2009
Yet again here is another new article from Google. I must say here at ESP News we do love a bit of Google to the ears! Apparently the masters of the web, Google, have announced that newspaper publishers will now be able to set a limit on the number of free news articles people can read through Google.
Some media companies claim that the search engine is profiting from online news pages. Under the First Click Free programme, publishers can now prevent unrestricted access to subscription websites. Users who click on more than five articles in a day may be routed to payment or registration pages.
Josh Cohen who is a Google Senior Business Product Manager, said in a blog post that "Previously, each click from a user would be treated as free. Now, we've updated the programme so that publishers can limit users to no more than five pages per day without registering or subscribing."
Google users may start seeing registration pages appear when they click for a sixth time at websites of publishers using the programme, according to Josh Cohen. But this will only affect websites that currently charge for content.
Newspapers are looking for new ways to make money from their online content because of downfall in figures and advertising revenues. Johnston Press which is the UK's largest regional newspaper publisher has announced plans to charge people for access to six of its titles online.
The move follows a 42% decrease in advertising revenues at the group over the last two years.
Earlier this year the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) cut 1,000 jobs at Northcliffe Media, which publishes more than 100 newspapers in England and Wales. Newscorp which owns the Times and the Sun newspapers in the UK has also been affected by the downturn.
Submitted by:
Mark O'Donoghue
Associated Links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8389896.stm
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