14 March 2010
The debate about whether publications should charge consumers foronline news has been put to the test, as
The Witness has startedcharging for its online content. Who will be next to follow?
Well, it would seem that The Sunday Times is looking to be next in line to charge for online content. According to an
IOL article, Mike Robertson, MD of Avusa's Media division says the Sunday Times is at an early stage in its thinking, but is considering "putting the site behind a wall".
It makes business sense to want to increase revenue, but will charging for online content achieve this end goal or will it result in a decline in readership? It will depend on how consumers react to having to pay for their online news, and how loyal they are to a particular publication.
Of the 1000+ readers participating in a recent IOL poll, only 4% said they would pay for online news. This is a clear indication that the majority of people are not willing to pay for news that they can get for free everywhere else online.
