Beerball Posted January 21, 2010 Posted January 21, 2010 free linky viewers will be allowed to look at a number of articles free each month before having to pay to see more. It is a model the Financial Times has employed since 2007 and one that appears to be gaining traction in the industry.
kegtapr Posted January 21, 2010 Posted January 21, 2010 Well, that leaves only about 29,999 free news sources left that people can get their info from.
truth on hold Posted January 21, 2010 Posted January 21, 2010 maybe if this policy existed in 2002 no one would have bothered with the bogus "Saddam's Smoking Gun" article
Lori Posted January 21, 2010 Posted January 21, 2010 Well, that leaves only about 29,999 free news sources left that people can get their info from. True, although I think you're probably low by a couple of zeros. But. If people enjoy the Times' staff writers enough to make frequent use of the site, if they have (for example) a favorite columnist who isn't syndicated elsewhere, then maybe they WILL dip into their pockets. Worth a shot, because the current model certainly isn't working. Why do I think this one might? Give this story a read: Press Coverage: The Working Model of DIY Media The short-n-sweet: former CincyPost (RIP) Reds beat writer Trent Rosecrans decided to see if the readers of his indie site, cnati.com, would be willing to fund a trip for him to cover spring training. They were. He's already bought his plane ticket, and donations are still coming in. CTR's good at what he does, and his readers are willing to pay to keep him on the beat. And if there is ever an ESPNCincinnati.com (per the linked story), they'd be nuts not to make him their first hire. Another former print guy, Mike Harris (longtime Va. Tech beat guy, then the SE in Richmond), is trying the same do-it-yourself approach to sports coverage in his neck of the woods. All along, as papers slashed-and-burned both their staffs and their coverage, he's been preaching the same mantra: "Give me something to read."
thebug Posted January 21, 2010 Posted January 21, 2010 True, although I think you're probably low by a couple of zeros. But. If people enjoy the Times' staff writers enough to make frequent use of the site, if they have (for example) a favorite columnist who isn't syndicated elsewhere, then maybe they WILL dip into their pockets. Worth a shot, because the current model certainly isn't working. Why do I think this one might? Give this story a read: Press Coverage: The Working Model of DIY Media The short-n-sweet: former CincyPost (RIP) Reds beat writer Trent Rosecrans decided to see if the readers of his indie site, cnati.com, would be willing to fund a trip for him to cover spring training. They were. He's already bought his plane ticket, and donations are still coming in. CTR's good at what he does, and his readers are willing to pay to keep him on the beat. And if there is ever an ESPNCincinnati.com (per the linked story), they'd be nuts not to make him their first hire. Another former print guy, Mike Harris (longtime Va. Tech beat guy, then the SE in Richmond), is trying the same do-it-yourself approach to sports coverage in his neck of the woods. All along, as papers slashed-and-burned both their staffs and their coverage, he's been preaching the same mantra: "Give me something to read." I think a sign of things to come. In all seriousness, I think this site should have a small membership fee (I know people can donate) but a few bucks a month may help get the membership to a group of people who really want to be here and give SDS the funds required for upkeep. Just a thought.
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