NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] New York Times getting ready to charge online readers
New York Times getting ready to charge online readers http://bit.ly/5bqmTL (NY Mag) The problems, of course, are obvious. The value of referenced NYTimes articles in public forums drops essentially to zero -- there's no point in linking to articles that most people will be unable to read -- legally, that is. And therein is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. I'd expect to see underground free transmissions of NYTimes articles instantly appear in a myriad of locations and forms, forcing the Times to play DMCA cop on top of everything else in an endless game of Whac-A-Mole. Will they get enough subscriptions to stay afloat using such a model? Maybe. But will this make up for the loss of global readership in a non-economic sense overall, especially for their best reporters and analysts who want to be read by the most people possible? Will an op-ed in the Times mean as much if it's also behind a pay wall that drastically limits its audience? The future will tell. But one thing's for sure, if the Times goes ahead with this kind of plan, they're taking one enormous gamble indeed, especially in the current economic climate. --Lauren-- NNSquad Moderator