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As far as folks being unwilling to pay for content, part of that I think is the influence of the early dot-com days where everyone was trying to get the free/advertiser-supported model to work. People got quite used to getting all sorts of things for free. If we add to that the micropayment problem, it just gets worse. Sites that want you to pay for content need for you to sign on for a subscription. They can't just charge you for an article or an issue because their cost of charging you makes that unfeasible. If I don't know much about a site, if I don't have a strong feeling I'm really going to enjoy their content, or if I just want that one article, I'm not going to sign up for a subscription. Even a free trial subscription will make me wary because then I'll be on their mailing list. I don't like giving out my information. I already get too much spam.
I think periodical content is a natural for the electronic market, especially as readers get cheaper (and maybe start coming with color). However to get to that point, we'll have to get people past the idea that just because you download it online doesn't mean it has to be free. Anonymous micropayment could be a huge boon for this since not only does it solve the problems above, it allows people to purchase content that they may not want to have show on their credit card statement. Lets face it. One of the few types of online content that consistently makes a profit is *ahem* of a personal and adult nature.
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