Search engines may be barred from using News Corp content

The 78-year-old has already signalled that the News Corp would begin charging for access to their websites within months,saying that quality journalism must come at a price.

There8217;s a doctrine called fair use,which we believe to be challenged in the courts and would bar it altogether. But we8217;ll take that slowly, The BBC quoted Murdoch,as saying.

Murdoch had earlier revealed that plunging revenues from his newspapers had pushed the company into the red.

The plan to charge for online news is being hatched by a team of Murdochs senior lieutenants,including his son James,and Rebekah Wade,the editor of The Sun.

The fees are expected to be introduced by the end of News Corps financial year,which runs until next June.