MySpace is a cultural phenomenon among the young. The Sun has been a newspaper phenomenon ever since Rupert Murdoch got his hands on it at the end of the 1960s. Now the two of them are to come together.
News International is to create a MySun portal. This may be the move that translates Murdoch's publishing power into a real web force for the future.
Thus far, the Sun has failed to translate its massive newspaper readership into internet domination. Indeed, when the possible cannibalisation of Sun sales by the website was first revealed, a lot of content was pulled off the website. Around half of its daily hits are said to come from its two bankers, sex and gambling: Page3.com and fantasy footy.
But the youngsters who log onto MySpace are the holy grail for newspaper publishers. The generation who have not acquired the newspaper habit. That is why Murdoch paid $580m for Intermix Media (which owned MySpace and others).
But will the merging of the two worlds bring the desired results for News Corp? Do these mergers ever really work? Will Sun readers become MySun readers? Will MySpace fans become MySun fans?
Murdoch has a new found love for the internet, but does the web world love him back? Click here to have a look at his MySpace page. And here is News Corp's.
