Pleading for paid online content

Because of lost revenues in other areas, Sorrell thinks that newspapers will have to begin charging for their Internet content. This sounds great in theory for newspapers but it is doubtful that it will work. A couple of examples:

TimesSelect: Gawker snickers at the Grey Lady for their December 5th 8-page advert of its often derided online paid package; "Discover its power! Unleash its benefits!... see what bells and whistles you’ll receive from the paper’s famous op-ed columnists."

Such a large effort to promote the 2.5-month old service suggests that it's not doing so hot. Almost one month ago, some vague figures were released and it was estimated that about 135,000 print, and 135,000 non-print subscribers had signed up at $50 a month. Not bad. But 8 pages sounds like a desperation move. New subscriptions may have already ceased.

Salon.com: The paid-subscription online magazine hung on through the dot com bust and has just turned 10. But it was on the brink of going under numerous times, only to be saved by wealthy donors, not its subscription service nor advertising.

This says something about the future of journalism. Some critics of the corporate news system that has evolved over the past century and now appears to be falling apart feel that journalism would be better served being funded by NGO's, philanthropists or similar entities.    

Maybe not yet.

But instead of pressuring newspapers to do something that most of their public won't accept, the knighted advertiser Sorrell would be better off helping newspapers experiment with sustainable online business models, most probably through innovative advertising, to secure their future.

Sources: Media Guardian, Gawker, San Francisco Chronicle