Newspaper publishers take aim at Google

A group representing newspaper publishers around the world is planning to take on internet search engines like Google that compile and present news content.

The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said Tuesday that it will lead a task force to look into ways to "challenge the exploitation of content by search engines without fair compensation to copyright owners."

Sites like Google News scan the internet, pulling news, entertainment, sports, business and science stories from a variety of news websites. The headlines and sometimes part of the stories are then displayed on a central page.

WAN president Gavin O'Reilly said news aggregators are not in business for the benefit of spreading knowledge.

"The irony is that these search engines exist, largely, because of the traditional news and content aggregators and profit at their expense," said O'Reilly in a news release.

"They are assuredly commercial, very-much-for-profit organizations and not the new Robin Hoods."

The task force's first move will be to arrange a meeting with European Union officials.