Google explores printed material searches; opportunity for news sites?

(The following is a reaction to a blog in the web; submitted to Anna Lim 122204)

"Much printed media these days is not available online, but rather sold in hard copy for profit."

This is the main point that Google is trying to reverse so that search providers like it can get a piece of the action, as well as provide a way to make more information available to the public and end users, without getting the ire of publishers.

So how does Google do that? By introducing a new patent application that enables search of printed materials, pay-per-view documents and scanned documents with clickable ads, and even the ability for print publishers to swap out ads in digital copies of their printed pages.

In the article posted, the new patent application may well open new revenue sites to publishers of print, CD and DVD media, while broadening its own revenue base. The application, simply named "Method for searching media", provides additional income particularly for publishers relying only on hard copies of their materials.

According to the article, there are two key elements: (1) a method for executing a permission protocol wherein the publisher is asked to authorize Google to display more text and information; and (2) store scanned versions of printed documents along with data sets representing the ads that went with them.

Google is now experimenting with several search services that could be part of the foundation of the program.

I have to agree that this step of Google is very much welcome especially for end users and providers of information. For the end users and searchers, this is good news. Not only would we be able to get a part of the information but the whole enchilada. No more piecemeal offerings of a good thing. Now we will be able to enjoy the whole lot. Just like one of the search engines that are going to be used by Google, Google Print, users would be able to see the text as well as the actual images of the pages.

On the side of the providers, more profits would be had because this would mean a broader opportunity for publishers to increase sales via Google. Profits, profits, profits. I could now see the eyes of publishers and businessmen getting bigger with the sounds of the cash register kashinging.

This is how it should be. As long as the end users like us are also getting a good deal out of it, it is but proper and alright for the others to get income out of it. Quid pro quo.