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Tag: Washington Times

  • Some Traditional Media Organizations Understand The Web

    It’s always nice to see when traditional media organizations show some understanding of the way the web works.

    Last week, we reported on proposed legislation in Germany that seeks to have news aggregators pay to use snippets of (and possibly links to) publishers’ content. As discussed in a previous article, there are a lot of gray lines around what should even be considered an aggregator. Also discussed, was how such legislation could set a dangerous precedent for the web, which in theory, could end up meaning people would have to pay to link to things.

    The Washington Times, a newspaper that has been around since 1982, has posted an editorial on the proposal, taking a stance hardly typical of newspapers. The editorial, mind you, isn’t just from one staff writer. It’s from “The Washington Times”. In it, the publication says:

    This action has far more to do with protectionism than protecting intellectual property rights. Websites such as the indispensable Drudge Report, Times 24/7, Real Clear Politics, Digg, Fark and Reddit collect news from sources spread across the Web. These sites are wildly popular because they draw the important stories together in one convenient place, fulfilling a very specific need among a news-hungry public.

    Far from leeching off newspapers and print journalists, aggregators are essential to spreading the word about important stories. They drive significant traffic, which in turn generates revenue for content providers. It’s a win for both sides. For publishers that disagree, Google already includes a simple mechanism for websites to exclude themselves from search results. If the purported theft of content were truly the issue, that would end the discussion. Emphasis added.

    Usually, newspapers are on the other side of the discussion. Often, not only discussion, but action. NewsRight, for example, is an organization seeking payment from aggregators, which is comprised of 29 news organizations, accounting for 841 sites.

    A few years back (this debate has been going on for a long time), Reuters indicated that it had a similar view to the one being expressed by The Washington Times today, as Media President Chris Ahearn wrote:

    I believe in the link economy. Please feel free to link to our stories — it adds value to all producers of content. I believe you should play fair and encourage your readers to read-around to what others are producing if you use it and find it interesting.

    Google liked this stance:

    @google
    A Googler    Appreciating ‘Why I believe in the link economy’ by @cjahearn from @thomsonreuters http://bit.ly/138qag 949 days ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    This week, a couple of new efforts have emerged around the attribution part of the situation. One is the Council on Ethical Blogging and Aggregation, and the other is the “Curator’s Code”. The former is a group of publishers looking to create a set of blogging guidelines. The latter has developed symbols to represent “via” and “hat tip” links.

    In my own opinion, and based on what I’ve read from others in the industry, there isn’t a whole lot of collective faith in either approach.

  • Drudge Report Hires Charles Hurt

    Drudge Report Hires Charles Hurt

    Matt Drudge’s little news aggregation site that could has turned into quite the powerhouse on the web. Begun in 1997, it attained huge notoriety in 1998 when it was the first to report on the Lewinsky scandal. As big as it has gotten, the one thing that has remained constant is the small size of the staff that works on the site.

    Last year, Washington Times White House correspondent Joe Curl came aboard the Drudge ship as an editor. It is now being reported that Matt Drudge is bringing his second Washington Times member to the team.

    Charles Hurt, who also worked as D.C. bureau chief for the New York Post is now a part of the Drudge Report. He left his job at the Post about 3 months ago.

    Although the Drudge Report takes its stories from a wide range of sources, spanning liberal to conservative, it is common knowledge that the Drudge Report leans to the right. Matt Drudge himself is openly conservative, although he describes his views more as “populist.” Considering the conservative slant from the Drudge Report, Charles Hurt seems like a logical fit.

    (image)

    Some of his last few articles with the Washignton Times have been titled “Reports Continue to be Snookered by Obama,” “Obama Squanders America’s Legacy” and “Obama really not shy about spiking the ball.”

    The Drudge Report is a force, now matter if you agree with the politics or not. “Every Republican primary voter has The Drudge Report bookmarked on their internet browser,” said Ron Bonjean, a Republican political consultant to The Huffington Post.

    It’s most likely not just Republican voters though, as a recent Pew study found that the Drudge Report sends more traffic to news sites than Facebook and Twitter. And in April, Internet Evolution released their list of the most influential people on the web. Drudge finished 5th in the news media section, just behind Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide.

    The addition of veteran political columnists can only benefit an already powerful entity on the web, especially as we head into election season.

    Hurt photo courtesy.