I remember when the New York Times tried to charge for access to online content several years ago.
Well, that failed. Like most, I wouldn't pay for online content back then, but the times are a changin'.
For a while now, the news industry has been trying to figure out how to survive. As actual newsPAPERS disappear and the reality that businesses won't pay big bucks for online ads, it makes sense that media outlets should charge for quality content generated by paid professional journalists.
I'll (re)consider paying for online content that offers true value - fair, objective relevent articles written by smart journalists who present information that benefits the general public and has links to additional resources.
The New York Times is (once again) setting a precedent for the news industry and it will be interesting to see how they determine what online content will be paid and what will be free. In a world where everyone is an expert at some/thing and search engine rankings determine what's read, quality content with a solid SEO infrastructure becomes the key that opens the $ door.
So, the questions of the "Times" are:
~ Where do you go for your online news? Which media outlets do you trust?
~ Which media outlets provide content that is so valuable that you wouldn't mind paying a subscription fee?
~ Which media outlets understand that it might be smarter to charge small subscription rates to gain larger audiences rather than lose them upfront?
