As newspaper companies consider how and whether to charge for content online – with hundreds apparently signing up for Steve Brill’s consortium while other publishers dither – a survey in England says nearly half of readers would pay for online news if a free print subscription was thrown into the deal.
“While only 5 percent of people who read a news site at least once a month told us they would pay for online access, when you throw in a free or discounted subscription to the printed paper, that rises to a combined 48 percent,” says The Guardian based on its exclusive paidContent:UK/Harris Interactive poll.
It’s not a majority, but it’s enough for leverage, the newspaper says. “The message is loud and clear – people continue to believe that touchable products command tangible economic value but, divorced from physicality and its associated costs, digital content should manifest itself cheaper.”
Tags: Newspapers, Online, revenue