Joao Rei's ramblings

Dear Rupert Murdoch: Here's Some Free Online Content That You Don't Own

BY Kit Eaton Today It's okay, Mr. Murdoch. We think we finally understand why you hate Google and the Net so much--you gave it away in your rant during News Corp.'s finances: It's because you really don't get technology--or people--very much. I'm referencing a little aside the news industry billionaire made during a conference call about News Corporation's second quarter earnings yesterday. On the subject of tablet PCs (clearly driven by all the news of Apple's iPad,) e-readers and smartphones, Murdoch admitted these devices were a growing phenomenon. But he then immediately launched a venomous attack on the technology, denouncing the gizmos as lifeless "empty vessels." His argument is that without content, the hoard of tablets and e-readers and smartphones are dead things, useless and un-engaging. "Content isn't just King anymore but rather the emperor of all things electronic," and though larger flat-screen devices are an advance, without content they'll remain "unloved and unsold." What you're referring to, Rupert, is, of course, your content: That's what you think we should be viewing on these devices. "Undercover" reports on what it's like to visit the country's first legal ma...