Google To Scan Newspapers And Make Archive Available

Google has launched a new initiative that sees them working with newspaper publishers to to make more old newspapers accessible and searchable online. According to the official Google blog "You’ll be able to explore this historical treasure trove by searching the Google News Archive or by using the timeline feature after searching Google News. Not every search will trigger this new content, but you can start by trying queries like [Nixon space shuttle] or [Titanic located]." Currently the project has the support of The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph the oldest newspaper in North America having been publishing continuously for more than 244 years. It's a blast looking back into the past to see what was making news, and the old Blondie cartoons are a hoot!

Pay for newspaper's online content no more!

reportonbusiness.com, the Globe and Mail's online business news site is discussing the demise of subscription based online newspaper content. With the New York Times abandoning the practice of charging for content last week and Rupert Murdoch the reported suitor of the Wall Street Journal considering the same, it could be the end of the practice. While other sites have already opted for the traditional web model of banner ads and pay per click, the move of these two sites is heralded as the end of subscription based content, at least in the news paper game.