About us Login Get email updates
County Fair
Print

Rupert Murdoch's MySpace blunder

June 15, 2009 4:12 pm ET by Karl Frisch

Via Romenesko:

MySpace has become a textbook case of how quickly a digital juggernaut can become a has-been, writes Matthew Flamm. The head of a research firm tells him: "It may be that Rupert [Murdoch] is ultimately a newspaper guy. The idea [with MySpace] may have been, 'We bought you, so make it happen for us.'"

Perhaps Rupert just couldn't figure out how to force one point of view down the throats of a few million users.

Go! Do things internets!  I command thee!

Tags: Rupert Murdoch

Support Our Work


Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by DAWUSS (June 15, 2009 4:54 pm ET)
         
      You know, I miss the good old days, when you had to know HTML and a web service provider to get your corner of the Internet...
      Report Abuse
    • Author by fantagor (June 15, 2009 5:34 pm ET)
      1  
      I dunno. I still regularly frequent MySpace, despite its evil roots. Twitter is basically a waste of time (although it showed its worth during the Iran crisis). Facebook is a MySpace duplicate, so why bother? All this networking and I feel LESS connected than ever.

      Randy
      Report Abuse
      • Author by NiceguyEddie (June 16, 2009 8:27 am ET)
           
        I already publish a webcomic on my myspace page, and I've been thinking about starting a liberal blog there as well. And I think there's a great irony in that. In fact, I encorage ANYONE here who's considering starting a liberal blog to do so on myspace. Becuase wouldn't it be great if Ruppert Murdoch was actually paying good money to give us all a voice? And even if he makes a little money on it, so what? If he figures he can make money giving liberals a voice, that can only lead to better things, no?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by AWiseChoice (June 15, 2009 6:11 pm ET)
         
      Rupert Murdoch thought he had bought and caught a tiger by the tail and ended up holding onto a tornado.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mattcable250650 (June 15, 2009 9:27 pm ET)
         
      I have accounts with both services. Facebook provides more in terms of silly polls you can take (I was asked a series of questions and the quiz decided which Barbie I was. No, the Ken option wasn't available and I was deemed a "Vintage Barbie"), I also like the way to create links, though you can only do one link per post and you can only scribble a paragraph if you want to include a picture along with the post. You can blog there, but I try to keep my posts personal (My coffee grinder went kerflooie recently and I replaced it with a hand-cranked one) so as to impart a more chatty tone. I dunno, I think Facebook provides more assistance for the socially maladroit like moi.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by harley (June 16, 2009 8:49 am ET)
         

      Murdoch's timing to buy myspace is equivalent to someone buying up VHS technology in 2001.

      Report Abuse

my.MediaMatters.org

Login  Sign Up

About the Blog

Feed Icon
  • County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive media criticism from around the Web as well as original commentary, breaking news and rapid response updates to major media events from Media Matters senior fellows and other staff.