AOP: Online papers warned against Google News agency deal

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MSN.co.uk's executive producer today warned newspapers that their online operations could be adversely affected by Google's recent move to publish news agency content.

Speaking at the Association of Online Publishers conference , in London, Peter Bale warned his former employers the Times, along with the Guardian and the Sun that they may experience a 'bump down' in traffic because Google now carries news stories supplied by major agencies including the Press Association and the Associated Press.

The former editorial director of Times Online - who added that while at the Murdoch-owed paper he loved what Google did for the sites he managed - urged publishers to assess the value of their relationship with Google.

"While the agencies will consider it [the Google/agency deal] as welcome news, publishers should be very aware of what that really means to them," he said.

"I imagine that publishers such as the Times, the Guardian, the Sun, will start to see quite a bump down in traffic being generated from Google to them from that.

"And I think that the idea that Google is not a publisher, you only have to look at Google Finance to see that at least it is a virtual publisher."

Asked by host Simon Waldman, director of Guardian Media Group, whether he thought Google's activity with news content was infringing intellectual property law, Bale answered that he did not think it was.

Bale described his website's relationship with its content, whether written by his own 30-strong team of journalists or provided through partnerships such as those with ITN and PA, as one of respect.

"This is a journalistic product - this is much more than an algorithm," he said.

Stressing the importance of journalism in his plans for MSN.co.uk, Bale said he wanted to make the site a 'destination and not a default'.

"This is the place to come for inspired and serious journalism, it's a place to be entertained to be informed and, with the tools we have, a place to be connected."