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Paid content

How to charge for content

Alan Mutter thinks there’s no future in newspapers charging for online content. Still, he offers a summary of the different types of paywalls out there: the Newsday-style wall (which gives readers a few lines of a story and requires a payment for more), the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette model (which requires a subscription to the print product or an online subscription to access some content), New York Times-style metering (a certain number a free views, then a demand to subscribe), iTunes-style micropayments (paying for news stories the way you pay for songs on iTunes, something that has been suggested but not implemented anywhere), and Miami Herald-style tip jars (asking for voluntary online contributions—yeah, like that would work). It’s a nice summary of the various approaches – and be sure to read the comments section of his blog following the piece.

By Kathryn Jones Malone

Kathryn Jones Malone is co-director of the Texas Center for Community Journalism. She began her career as a staff writer at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, then worked as a staff writer for the Dallas Times Herald and The Dallas Morning News; as a contract writer for The New York Times; as a writer-at-large for Texas Monthly magazine; as editor of the Glen Rose Reporter; and as a freelance writer for numerous state, regional and national magazines. She teaches journalism at Tarleton State University.