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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Attacks BBC For Its Web Initiatives

The U.S.-based News Corporation, which has been nothing if not tireless in its efforts to bulk up on media properties around the globe, yesterday accused the British Broadcasting Corporation of improperly using public monies to improve its Web site. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, which is itself busy acquiring and developing commercial Web sites, argued that the BBC has no business reintroducing a heavily revised and more consumer-friendly BBC.com because it is, after all, state funded. According to FT.com, "James MacManus, an executive director of Mr Murdoch's News International, accused the BBC of 'blatantly commercial ambitions' and of seeking 'to create a digital empire.' "Our view is that can only damage the development of commercial digital media,' he said. 'This is being done with public money. It really is outrageous.'" The upgraded BBC.com focuses on greater personalization, more user-generated content, and a video-on-demand service--in other words, pretty much the same thing many commercial sites, including Murdoch's MySpace.com, are concentrating on.

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