Comments on: If NYTimes.com does put up a metered wall… http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/ Journalist, consultant, entrepreneur ... Musings on digital media, Web 2.0/3.0, & news in the Internet era Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:43:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Paywall refinements » News Future Now - News transformation from the trenches http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-61699 Paywall refinements » News Future Now - News transformation from the trenches Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:08:56 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-61699 [...] this critique of the NYT’s plans to eventually move to a metered paywall, Outing suggests a number of smart tweaks, including [...] [...] this critique of the NYT’s plans to eventually move to a metered paywall, Outing suggests a number of smart tweaks, including [...]

]]> By: This Week in Review: The New York Times’ paywall plans, and what’s behind MediaNews’ bankruptcy » Nieman Journalism Lab http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-60080 This Week in Review: The New York Times’ paywall plans, and what’s behind MediaNews’ bankruptcy » Nieman Journalism Lab Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:06:40 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-60080 [...] is just a stab in the dark.” Before the announcement, former Editor & Publisher columnist Steve Outing, Forrester Research’s James McQuivey, and Reuters’ Felix Salmon gave the Times advice [...] [...] is just a stab in the dark.” Before the announcement, former Editor & Publisher columnist Steve Outing, Forrester Research’s James McQuivey, and Reuters’ Felix Salmon gave the Times advice [...]

]]> By: Steve Outing http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59503 Steve Outing Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:43:37 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59503 Tim: A little late to your question... Wouldn't it be simple enough to block the IP address(es) of a service that made US users appear to be from India? But, of course, I don't advocate a paranoia approach and would hope that a news org taking such an approach (different rates for different countries) wouldn't spend excessive resources on keeping a few people from cheating. Better to focus on the more positive things you can do to gain audience and revenue. Tim: A little late to your question… Wouldn’t it be simple enough to block the IP address(es) of a service that made US users appear to be from India?

But, of course, I don’t advocate a paranoia approach and would hope that a news org taking such an approach (different rates for different countries) wouldn’t spend excessive resources on keeping a few people from cheating. Better to focus on the more positive things you can do to gain audience and revenue.

]]> By: Tuesday Reads: Paywall Plans at the New York Times, and More « Reinventing the Newsroom http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59499 Tuesday Reads: Paywall Plans at the New York Times, and More « Reinventing the Newsroom Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:33:09 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59499 [...] — both men dislike the Financial Times’s metered system — but moves from there to an excellent survey of possible ways to create revenue, from various subscription lengths to Kachingle. It’s a [...] [...] — both men dislike the Financial Times’s metered system — but moves from there to an excellent survey of possible ways to create revenue, from various subscription lengths to Kachingle. It’s a [...]

]]> By:   links for 2010-01-19 — contentious.com http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59475   links for 2010-01-19 — contentious.com Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:01:06 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59475 [...] If NYTimes.com does put up a metered wall…: SteveOuting.com "In general, I’m against paywalls for general-news websites, for reasons that I and many other digital-media pundits have expressed many times over. But that’s a black-and-white view, and I think there are shades of gray that might work, as I’ve outlined above. [...] [...] If NYTimes.com does put up a metered wall…: SteveOuting.com "In general, I’m against paywalls for general-news websites, for reasons that I and many other digital-media pundits have expressed many times over. But that’s a black-and-white view, and I think there are shades of gray that might work, as I’ve outlined above. [...]

]]> By: Steve Outing http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59357 Steve Outing Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:17:32 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59357 Pia: Did you actually read my blog post? I know 100% advertising online doesn't work, and my suggestions for the Times present a multiple-revenue stream model that won't hurt existing ad revenue under the current free model. "Hate the thought of paying for a product." ... You have to understand the psychology of most Internet users, especially the younger generation. It's much easier to get people to pay for something tangible: a mobile-phone app for $1.99; a song on iTunes for 99 cents; etc. Online users get to "keep" those things and use them over and over till they get tired of them. A news story is a one-time experience that is a much harder sell in this new digital environment. More importantly, no media brand online is immune from the overabundance of high-quality free content from competitors. If the choice is between paying $15 a month for a NYTimes.com subscription, for example, and foregoing NYT and using other excellent sources that remain free (BBC, Washington Post, etc.), then even NY Times-quality journalism won't stand up to that. They'll get a good number of paying subscribers, as they did with TimesSelect, but it will plateau, as we've seen repeatedly in the news industry. Any publisher is welcome to ignore the nature of the Internet and lock down its content from anyone who doesn't pay. But that historic business model is simply not suited for the web, and non-niche newspapers that make this choice won't live long. Think different. Pia: Did you actually read my blog post? I know 100% advertising online doesn’t work, and my suggestions for the Times present a multiple-revenue stream model that won’t hurt existing ad revenue under the current free model.

“Hate the thought of paying for a product.” … You have to understand the psychology of most Internet users, especially the younger generation. It’s much easier to get people to pay for something tangible: a mobile-phone app for $1.99; a song on iTunes for 99 cents; etc. Online users get to “keep” those things and use them over and over till they get tired of them. A news story is a one-time experience that is a much harder sell in this new digital environment.

More importantly, no media brand online is immune from the overabundance of high-quality free content from competitors. If the choice is between paying $15 a month for a NYTimes.com subscription, for example, and foregoing NYT and using other excellent sources that remain free (BBC, Washington Post, etc.), then even NY Times-quality journalism won’t stand up to that. They’ll get a good number of paying subscribers, as they did with TimesSelect, but it will plateau, as we’ve seen repeatedly in the news industry.

Any publisher is welcome to ignore the nature of the Internet and lock down its content from anyone who doesn’t pay. But that historic business model is simply not suited for the web, and non-niche newspapers that make this choice won’t live long.

Think different.

]]> By: Pia Thomassen http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59331 Pia Thomassen Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:55:57 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59331 It is amazing to see how you and others just hate the thought of paying for a product. Do you work for free yourself? If anybody should be able to charge for content, it would be The New York Times, because they are worth it. The 100 % advertising model DOES NOT WORK alone. If you want proper journalism with ethical standards you have to get used to paying something for it as a media consumer. Because if NYT choose this path, others will follow. And I don't want a media world only supported financially by advertising. Media get much to volatile. They are much stronger with more revenue streams from lots of small sources (consmers) than from fewer advertisers who can withdraw there money if theres is something they are not satisfied with . cheers Pia It is amazing to see how you and others just hate the thought of paying for a product. Do you work for free yourself? If anybody should be able to charge for content, it would be The New York Times, because they are worth it. The 100 % advertising model DOES NOT WORK alone. If you want proper journalism with ethical standards you have to get used to paying something for it as a media consumer. Because if NYT choose this path, others will follow.
And I don’t want a media world only supported financially by advertising. Media get much to volatile. They are much stronger with more revenue streams from lots of small sources (consmers) than from fewer advertisers who can withdraw there money if theres is something they are not satisfied with .
cheers Pia

]]> By: Jeff Sonderman http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59322 Jeff Sonderman Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:04:14 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59322 Very good ideas, Steve. I too am skeptical about any paywall effort, but something as nuanced and multifaceted as you describe may have a chance to make money while not imploding traffic. Very good ideas, Steve. I too am skeptical about any paywall effort, but something as nuanced and multifaceted as you describe may have a chance to make money while not imploding traffic.

]]> By: Tim Windsor http://steveouting.com/2010/01/18/if-nytimes-com-does-put-up-a-metered-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-59313 Tim Windsor Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:58:08 +0000 http://steveouting.com/?p=1200#comment-59313 #3 suggests a biz-model for a third-party to assist U.S.-based readers in spoofing IP address to the cheaper country! :-) #3 suggests a biz-model for a third-party to assist U.S.-based readers in spoofing IP address to the cheaper country!

:-)

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