|
Media business
Rupert Murdoch and Wendy in town for a shmoozePosted by Jeremy Goldkorn, November 11, 2006 12:42 PM
 You can't do it your way Rupert
Danwei has one word of advice for our mentor Mr Murdoch about bringing MySpace to China: Don't! The Chinese Internet is a shark tank, and MySpace would be eaten alive by everyone from Sina and Mop to Wangyou and Tudou to Tianya, Douban, Xici Hutong and Bokee. Build or buy something locally: there are plenty of promising startups, and a few mature web businesses that News Corp could partner with. |
Partner Links
Jobs in China
Recent Comments
Gareth on
Gamble your life away in ZT Online
Inst on
The Mouse looms over Shanghai
Anonymous on
Giant Mao Zedong stands alone in the autumn cold
Joel Marti on
A centenarian monk reads the newspaper
little Ale on
Those damned English experts
Media Partners
Visit these sites for the latest China news
China Media Timeline
Major media events over the last three decades
Danwei Model Workers
 Recommended blogs and new media
Books on China
 Xujun Eberlein's Apologies Forthcoming: Hong Kong's Blacksmith Books has published a short story collection by Xujun Eberlein.
Princess Der Ling: Two Years in the Forbidden City: Two years in the Forbidden City is largely a reminiscence of the minutiae of life for one of history's most powerful women, by one of her court attendants, a Manchu noble's daughter by the name of Der Ling.
Carl Crow's The Long Road Back to China: In 1939 Carl Crow - an American journalist, advertising executive and author who had lived in Shanghai for 25 years until forced out by the Japanese - travelled up the Burma Road from Rangoon to Chongqing on assignment for Liberty magazine － 'the most interesting assignment I have ever been given'.
Front Page of the Day
A different newspaper every weekday
From the Vault
Classic Danwei posts
+ The Dazhai Spirit gets religion (2007.10): In a Window of the South (南风窗) feature on model village Dazhai (大寨), Li Xiangping (李向平) writes about the role religion, in the form of the Pule Temple, plays in the village's changing identity. + Will the Boat Sink the Water? a review by Göran Leijonhufvud (2006.11): Göran Leijonhufvud, former China correspondent of several Scandinavian newspapers, is now researching village elections in minority nationalities areas in Yunnan. + One Country, Two Versions (2005.02): CEPA eases co-productions between the mainland and Hong Kong, but does it undermine creativity?
Danwei Archives
Danwei Feeds
Via Feedsky
 (on the mainland)or Feedburner  (blocked in China) Main feed: Main posts (FB has top links) Top Links: Links from the top bar Danwei Jobs: Want ads Danwei Digest: Updated daily, 19:30 |
 |
Chinese media, advertising, and urban life. |
|
tweet
facebook
bookmark
HaoHao
digg
Comments on Rupert Murdoch and Wendy in town for a shmooze
What does Danwei have against Mr. Murdoch and News Corp.?
Danwei has nothing against Mr. Murdoch: in fact we seek to learn from him, and repeatedly call him our mentor.
News Corp is a major foreign media power; Murdoch has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to break into China's media market and is prepared to do almost anything to make it happen. Such admirable chutzpah!
But we think MySpace China is a really bad business idea.
I agree with Danwei. Dont.
No foreigner Internet companies have gained a good score in China market. yahoo, msn, ebay, even google.
China Mobile and News Corp are launching a new 'wireless music service', their first co-op since the June 8th agreement. Could be what Ruppie is in town for. God knows what it does though - I sense increasing numbers of Supergirls ringtones, and other things that'll annoy me on the subway....
I would however appreciate it if Mr. Murdoch could get the profile pages from the English language version of MySpace unblocked here in Liaoning Province.
What does the article mean when it says that China will eat it alive? too many users? could someone explain to me please?
[EDITOR'S NOTE (JG): I mean that Chinese competitors will make it very difficult for News Corp to replicate MySpace's success in China]
I agree with Danwei. Myspace would get slaughtered in China. There is no technology or content that is challenging to copy, and it's usership is very culturally-shaded. Buy something local and develop it. Murdoch is a little far removed from both the technology and the cultureS (China, youth, internet, etc) that will drive this. His instincts about the potential of social networking in China is right -- his approach is disastrous.