Comments on: Google's Schmidt nixes idea of buying newspaper

CEO Eric Schmidt confirms to the Financial Times that Google had considered acquiring a paper, but has since ruled it out as too expensive and fraught with liabilities.

[forever4now]

Google is probably best positioned as a "gateway" to content, rather than the "creator" of content. If they became a content creator, where would it stop? Books? Music? Movies? It doesn't make sense. Content requires a completely different skill set.

[Vegaman_Dan]

If Google ever buys a content creation service like a newspaper, media outlet, or any other similar service, then the phrase 'conflict of interest' comes immediately to mind, even if it doesn't actually apply. That's the sort of thing that could poison Google's search business when you have to wonder if the results they give that list their own content first purely by coincidence is really a fluke or shows preferential treatment. It may not happen, but that's the perception that they would have to fight.

Best to keep out of the content creation arena entirely.

[ronwagn]

Google has the reputation. All it needs to do is hire the best journalists out there. It has the money. We will then have another great liberal newspaper. Ever notice how Google searches lean left?