NEW YORK (CNN) -- Beginning at 2 p.m. ET Monday, The New York Times will try to harness the force that has been wrecking the newspaper business: free access on the Internet.
The nation's most prestigious general interest paper will now charge readers for extended access to its website, NYTimes.com. In erecting a paywall, executives at the Times are trying to walk a fine line: generate subscription revenue from avid readers willing to pay, while still retaining more the casual customers who boost advertising revenue with their clicks.
Users get 20 free articles per month, after that payment is required. It's an interesting model, but I think it would be more efficient to pay per click. The article makes the argument that people are more likely to pay for digital content after the app markets have changed how we view those transactions. However, $15 per month for unlimited online access is still steep when compared to the free competition that will continue to eat away at the big papers. This may actually be the beginning of an era of news publishing where subscriptions aren't the measure of success, but that of clicks and reviews received. That doesn't sound so bad to me.
Frankly, it has seemed that local papers have phoned it in for a long time, and have been reduced to AP / Reuters relays with the occasional local story to break up the monotony. The industry has been spoiled with loyal customers and little competition in a declining market. Just like the rest of us, they should hustle for their business or make way for those who will. At the rate of $15 - $35 per month for access to just one paper, I don't think it will go over very well.
As always, I'm curious to see what you think about it. Sound off in the comments or on the Facebook page.
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