Newspaper paywalls

[Bribie G]

I note that when trying to read the Sydney Telegraph online this morning it won't let me in unless I register with them and give them all my details. Free for now but the brickies are working overtime erecting paywalls.

Personally I sympathise with the papers as their print versions aren't selling as much, their advertising revenue streams are falling and they do need income to pay for basic standards of journalism.

However they aren't doing themselves any favours by boasting, like the Courier Mail "circulation up, circulation breaks all previous records". Wankers.

They can go and get fcucked for the time being but I will probably end up paying $15 a month for the SMH and related sites such as Brisbane Times - a bit like buying a song or paying for some software. It will be interesting to see how the paywall thing will work itself out in Australia.

 

[Airgead]

Who reads a newspaper anymore? That's so last century.

 

[Bribie G]

They are still a good "anchor point" for serious news. If you mean paper papers yes I agree with you. They will fairly soon be replaced by the online version. For example there is no paper version of the Brisbane Times. However they need to pay for themsleves. At the moment, taking the BT as an example, it's pretty much supported by the parent SMH as sold in paper form. When that goes then pay as you go will be the next stage.

I'd rather the "papers" survive - a worrying number of Gen Ys for example are convinced that sites such as The Onion are real news organisations and get most of their "news" from satirical TV shows. Almost as bad in its own way as "The glorious news from the People's beloved Father of the Nation who is seen here opening a new power station outside Pyong Yang.. read this or be shot".