Wednesday, July 29, 2009

New York newspaper launches doomed effort to charge readers for online news

Beginning Monday, the Schenectady Daily Gazette will start charging for certain online content.

The Daily Gazette newspaper has decided to mostly end its experiment with free online content.

Web advertising revenue wasn't enough to justify the perceived threat to its print publication, said Judy Patrick, the managing editor.

Starting Monday, the Schenectady paper will reserve the free section of its Web site for blogs, breaking news and some other features. Only paying subscribers, meanwhile, will have access to expanded online content, including articles that appear in the print edition.

People won't pay for online news, so look for the Daily Gazette to announce another change before long.


Hat tip: Romenesko. Thanks to the reader who sent the cartoon.
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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Their failure is going to be spectacularly delicious

Anonymous said...

It really makes you wonder what on earth are they thinking?

Then you realize, those fine arts degrees and law degrees only teach economics by coercion. Problem is, they've yet to get the messiah to nationalize them. But, it's coming.

Anonymous said...

If conservatives dropped their paid subscriptions to the left leaning, biased daily papers, what makes the papers think the same people will pay for online access?
This is going to be fun to watch.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:24 I love your quote!

"Those fine arts and law degrees only teach economics by coercion"

Anonymous said...

I am struggling with this free concept for news provided by papers. TV was always free so that makes sense. Our Newspaper has always been a paid/password protected website for our paper. Giving it free online sort of reminds me of if you come into a restaurant and sit down and pay for your meal versus if you get it to go, it should be free. Of course that makes no sense however the 'to go' is probably a bit cheaper, kind of based on the taco wagon concept. But to just give a way the food for free makes no sense either.

Newspapers fell for the 'give it away for free concept' then try to make it up on volume later. That has not panned out. We have always had rates based on paid circulation. It is probably too late to put that genie back in the bottle now for most papers. We still have to pay our reporters, editors and such whether we put the story on dead trees or online, why would we give it away for free online but charge for it on dead trees? I seriously doubt any of you work for free, why give it away?

What am I missing?

Ken

Anonymous said...

What am I missing?



The boat of course.


Newspapers have never fallen for the give it away for free concept. Their profits have always been derived from advertising. Now that that has dried up, they want to charge us to read their content.

Go ahead, best of luck to you. The result of your endeavor is already known, but give it your best shot.

Anonymous said...

Ken = TROLL = Come back in about an hour and answer your own post...K-k-k-k-en

Sample

8:00 “I think they should charge…. signed Ken”

9:00 “Why Ken isn’t our poof troll, Ken has a great idea, doesn't he”

10:00 “Why Ken is a frinken genius, isn’t he?”

11:00 Oh that Ken, what a great guy!”

PUKE!

Anonymous said...

Ken, some of us appreciate your effort to have a serious discussion here. Don't let the midget-minded keep you from trying.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:24 , I mean "Ken" talking to himself, I appreciate you too.

How’s your schizophrenia, since you hear and answer to your own voices?

Anonymous said...

The doomed paper doesn't want area residents to know about:
http://www.topix.com/schenectady

Topix already beats the dinosaur, versions, and it is free. This is the perfect city for bloggers to start a local news blog, omitting the liberal blather no one wants. There is room for several good blogs in larger cities, look at KC, and their wealth of bloggers.