Forbes reports from Davos:
Will Newspapers Survive?
From the admittedly biased perspective of the journalists in the room, the conversation got particularly interesting when it turned to the future of newspapers.
That was also the only time Brin and Page actually disagreed. “I think it’s a long time before [computer] displays will be as good as paper,” Page said.
Brin looked surprised. “You do?” he asked. “What do you call a long time?”
But while Page extolled the benefits of print (you can hold it under your arm, it doesn’t require a battery), he confessed he reads all his news online.
Brin subscribes only to the Sunday New York Times.
People will pay for newspapers online, Page said, but it has to be easy.
“I probably should pay for the Wall Street Journal, but it’s a hassle,” he said.
“Obviously, I’m not worried about the money.
I would be happy to pay for newspapers, but I’m not happy to have an account with each one.”
The solution he mentioned in passing, of course, was Google Checkout, which allows users to shop online without memorizing a dozen different passwords.
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