Maybe paying for news online is a good thing

By Michael Becker | Published: October 26, 2009

The Columbia Journalism Review tells me that the Wall Street Journal has surpassed USA Today in circulation numbers, making it the most widely circulated newspaper in the country.

Note too that the Journal has seen growth in its circulation while also charging for its online content. Newsday will also start up a pay system this week, making it the second paper among the top 25 in the country to charge for Web content.

Normally, I'd be against charging for content online, on principle, but I have to admit that the last paragraph of the CJR post makes a lot of sense:

"It can't help you in a deep recession to give your product away free online while charging good money for it (much less raising the price) in print."

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Michael Becker has been blogging about academia, digital culture and journalism since 2005. He is the Web editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
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