Quote:
Originally Posted by ZodWallop
I think newspapers should have hidden behind paywalls from the beginning. Giving the content away for free from the beginning is what caused people to expect free content.
How are they supposed to make money by giving their content away as Craigslist takes away their classified advertising and ad-blockers block the on-site advertising?
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Ads, actually.
By all appearances, ads are a lot like DRM; those that dislike them hate them with a vengeance but the vast majority of readers don't care enough to do anything about it.
The business has more or less stabilized on a two tier hybrid system with some content free, with a few *non-intrusive* ads for passers-by, and subscriptions/donations for the serious followers.
A sort of detente.
You see much the same thing with Youtube. A few short ads here and there, a few patreon supporters, a lot of free subscribers and "likers".
It's all about volume and the online audiences are really big these days. (Which includes pre-crisis.)