NY Times to start charging for online (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

access in 2011. Never understood why newspapers provided free access on the internet. Or why anyone would continue to subscribe when they could read it for free online. I read the Times online, but if they start charging I won't pay for it. After giving it away for free so long, it just doesn't seem like that will work now. Interesting to see if other newspapers do the same.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Combat,

Interesting problem for our news folks and with the falling subscription rates for one of Seattle's papers they decided to go "green" and went totally on line. I dont know if they save costs by doing this but they sure like to tell everyone how wonderful they are for not using any paper etc. I am not sure if they charge for it or not since I didnt read that particular paper but I expect if the NYTimes is going to charge they soon all will. I do see this as an issue for some folks especially our older citizens who are computer phobes but it appears to be the wave of the future and it will reduce the waste from all the paper. That said they will need to keep folks reading it on line by keeping the fees really low otherwise the majority of the reads will go elsewhere to find the news. Lets face it if you have to pay more than a couple of bucks a week minus ths sunday paper then a lot of people will simply make do with out it or just read a different paper.

Dave

 

[Gideon]

I don't think that model will work. People will simply move on to other sources.

NYT needs to figure out a new direction - maybe utilizing Youtube, maybe exploring cable network and merging the medium in a similar way National Geographic has done.

 

[jazzeum]

I agree that it doesn't make sense to provide it for free but I still like to get it and hold a paper. However, once they charge for it online I will pay for it as I use it even when I have the hard copy.

 

[Njja]

I quit reading the Times years ago!

 

[jazzeum]

I quit reading the Times years ago!

Then you won't have to pay for it

By the way, John, where is Nowhere?

 

[Njja]

Just to the left of upside down.