Yesterday I wanted to see what the news was about Phil Specter. I went to Google News and searched for his name.

I clicked on the top headline, naturally. It was the Washington Post‘s. Here’s what I got:

Did I register and enter the site? Hell no. I hit the back button and clicked on the second source, the Chicago Tribune:

Way to go, Washington Post. Are your advertisers aware that your login policy drives readers away?

Old media wants us to mourn their inevitable obsolescence but their passing is just the passing of bad ideas. They had their chance to step into new media but most can’t even do that right.