The New York Times reports today that Google's Knol is sending waves of concern throughout the media world, which is suddenly realizing that Google has the power to giveth and takeaway all that traffic on which they so depend.
Here's the pivotal quote in the piece:
While Google helps drive the success of other content providers, it is clear that the company will not shy away from entering what it considers “high-value” content areas, said David B. Yoffie, a professor at the Harvard Business School.“If I am a content provider and I depend upon Google as a mechanism to drive traffic to me, should I fear that they may compete with me in the future?” Professor Yoffie asked. “The answer is absolutely, positively yes.”
I've been saying this forever. So I should probably be happy that a Harvard Business School professor is making the case. Perhaps now someone at newspapers will listen. Google News exists to eat your lunch, not to feed you lunch.
Comments (3)
Fear not, Lucas this is a good thing in the long run. Knol is showing the world there are cracks (albeit very small) in Don't-be-evil-land.
Knol doesn't have any thing to do with Sergei and Larry's mission. My guess is this idea comes from Google's business side and wouldn't have been considered years ago. Now it has because Google needs to justify its stock price.
Google is only going to have to more things like this in the future to maintain its monopoly and that means more start ups will target its business and there will be more backlash against it. Notice Knol isn't being greeted as warmly as other ventures. Monopolies don't fare well in the Internet age.
I still don't believe Google is a threat to newspapers. If a newspaper web site can't offer users a better experience on its site than just skimming a headline and opening paragraph on google news, that newspaper won't survive with or without Google.
Posted by Isaac | August 11, 2008 12:02 PM
Posted on August 11, 2008 12:02
"I've been saying this forever."
I knew you in college and never remembered you saying this. So, you can't say you've said this forever.
Glad to know you are still alive and still being Lucas.
Posted by Robyn | August 14, 2008 1:37 PM
Posted on August 14, 2008 13:37
Robyn Disney . . . how exciting. I haven't heard from you in forever!
Posted by Lucas | August 15, 2008 8:35 AM
Posted on August 15, 2008 08:35