THE BLOGGING JOURNALIST

Chinese Officials Uncertain Whether Google Will Leave China

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency reported  January 13, 2010, that, “An official with China's State Council Information Office Wednesday [January 13, 2010] said Chinese Internet authorities were seeking more information on Google's statement that it could quit China. See “Chinese gov't seeking clarity, expert casts doubt on Google intentions.”

“The high-ranking official, who requested anonymity, made the remarks in a phone interview with Xinhua, a day after Google's corporate development and chief legal officer, David Drummond, posted a statement Tuesday [January 12, 2010]on the company's official blog, saying it was to "review the feasibility of our business operations in China," according to the report.

"’It is still hard to say whether Google will quit China or not. Nobody knows,’ the official said,” according to Xinhua.

Xinhua said, “Google's possible retreat from China has prompted the company's 700 China staff to fear for their jobs.”

Technorati Tags: Google & China,Xinhua,China,s State Council Informaion Office

Maybe Google Should Insist on Research Accounts for Newspapers

“As the rhetoric over how Google “rips-off” newspapers, magazines and other print publishers continues, a thought occurred to me this weekend,” observes Danny Sullivan over at his personal blog Daggle. “Perhaps Google should charge publications whose reporters tap into the service to research their stories? Perhaps that might underscore, especially for the Associated Press, the absurdity of trying to charge for the mere right to link to content and summarize what stories are about.”

I totally agree with Danny, who is editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land. He has much more to say in “Do Newspapers Owe Google “Fair Share” Fees For Researching Stories? ”

By the way, I also agree with Jeff Jarvis that Google should end its agreement with the AP, which earns the wire service millions of dollars. But that’s not enough. The AP wants special treatment. See “Google: Drop the AP first.”

Technorati Tags: Danny Sullivan,Daggle,Associated Press,Google