ONLINE NEWSPAPERS AND PAYWALLS

This may be of the most controversial subjects to come up in awhile. It concerns the decline of traditional newspapers and the popularity of online newspapers. It's a pretty close call, as to whether it's because more people spend their time online making it easier for them to access the news or people have to BUY for newspapers rather than getting the news online for FREE. It's a fact that The NY Times and other very popular newspapers are losing a lot of money due to the rise in online readers. There are a couple of sticky problems that these newspapers are facing. 

One, is that The NY Times is starting a paywall so persons who view their news online will have to start paying to do so now. Some have already been paying for The Sunday Times online but now they will also have to for pay for the daily edition. In comparison to the traditional print newspaper though, their online subscription will be less expensive, which will make paying for the online newspapers more appealing. The problem that I see happening with the introduction of a paywall, is that viewers who are used to getting it free might become a bit angry and either turn to other sources of free news on the web, incl. but not limited to, free online 3rd party information that often quotes some of the most important information that is contained in The NY Times. And what about the money that printed newspapers receive from advertising? In one study Nielsen conducted, data confirmed that the ad revenue from The Sunday Times saw a 40 percent decline in traffic in the first few months after paywalls were implemented. BIG problem.


Secondly, let's take a look at The Wall Street Journal, a rival to The NY Times. The Wall Street Journal has already introduced a paywall for their online newspapers but the cost for their online newpaper is considerably less than what the The NY Times has proposed for their online newspaper. BIG problem.


Last, but not least, is the problem if readers of the NY Times and other major newspapers, who are also making the big leap in introducing paywalls, DO decide that paying for the news online is worth the money. For these readers it will be less costly than buying the traditional printed version and that the news that these papers provide is important enough for them to pay for. What will happen when the sales of the printed versions of these papers decline even more? What will happen to the jobs that these papers provide for the countless employees of the manufacturers of all of these papers? Will their be layoffs, absolutely. Or worse, will some of these manufacturers, who have counted on these papers for most of their livelihood as businesses, actually have to close shop. In addition, the retailers who sell these newspapers, are going to suffer as well. BIG problem.


In conclusion, I am not saying, that this is all "problem" and no benefit. The fact is that, as the internet grows, the future looks fairly dim for the older forms of print anyway. Just like years ago, when U.S. factories had to shut down because of the high cost of production and the rise of the importation of goods from other countries; the world changes. Like it or not, we have no other choice than to accept these changes, and try to benefit from them.