Comments on: Why WSJ is right to Charge for Content http://texvc.com/2009/08/08/why-wsj-is-right-to-charge-for-content/ Navigating the Texas Entrepreneurial and Funding World Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:26:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Dino (D.G.) http://texvc.com/2009/08/08/why-wsj-is-right-to-charge-for-content/comment-page-1/#comment-2222 Dino (D.G.) Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:43:01 +0000 http://texvc.com/2009/08/08/why-wsj-is-right-to-charge-for-content/#comment-2222 There is a view that if you charge for content, people will go somewhere else that does not charge. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/06/rupert-murdoch-charging-for-content I believe the model that news operations used for offline news production just does not work for online, where the marginal cost of creating a new copy of the news is zero. Some examples of new models: - HuffingtonPost (bloggers write for free) - ProPublica (philanthropic contributions) - Spot.us (readers sponsor reporting) I think the most interesting trend (developing into a model) is that of advertisers producing their own media content. e.g. http://www.brandrepublic.asia/Media/Newsarticle/2009_08/Pepsi-launches-music-business-initiative-with-QMusic/36537 There is a view that if you charge for content, people will go somewhere else that does not charge.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/06/rupert-murdoch-charging-for-content

I believe the model that news operations used for offline news production just does not work for online, where the marginal cost of creating a new copy of the news is zero.

Some examples of new models:
– HuffingtonPost (bloggers write for free)
– ProPublica (philanthropic contributions)
– Spot.us (readers sponsor reporting)

I think the most interesting trend (developing into a model) is that of advertisers producing their own media content. e.g.
http://www.brandrepublic.asia/Media/Newsarticle/2009_08/Pepsi-launches-music-business-initiative-with-QMusic/36537

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