BBC chief sets sights on Google and AOL

[engine]

The BBC should try to take on internet giants Google and AOL, the corporation's director general has claimed.

Mark Thompson said the BBC was the only media group in Europe capable of taking on the companies and that it should expand into global markets.

BBC chief sets sights on Google and AOL [thisismoney.co.uk]

Google, no, AOL, possibly, but unlikely.

[IanTurner]

Weird statement - what exactly are they intending to do?

Any guesses?

[TypicalSurfer]

Its possible for someone to re-think search, bring a fresher, innovative product.

With the sandbox and all G$ is looking like the old geezer of the web.

[encyclo]

But are they talking about search or content? AOL is still much more of a content network/portal than a search engine, and Google News, Google Groups etc. seem a much more likely target than the BBC building a search engine.

[IanTurner]

I would grant that the BBC could probably drive a bus through Google's news search (and anybody elses for that matter) It's an area they have gret competency in and again there are other services from Google that are weak enough at the moment that they may not become market leaders, but I would say that to try and take on Google on its home turf or search would be very very difficult.