Newspapers may charge for online editions

September 22, 2009

Over the past decade and a half of online news, newspapers have generally made their products available for free. But with prices for online ads plummeting and print sales in consistent decline, readers may have to pay fees for content.

A study conducted recently by the American Press Institute found that 58 percent of newspapers are considering implementing some form of pay system for its online content. While online ad-supported newspaper websites have never been profitable, steady profits from print ads more than made up for the shortfall.

The climate is different these days. While print media still does most of the actual reporting for online content, aggregators like Google News garner the lion's share of click traffic and, consequently, ad revenue. And with print ad sales projected to dip below $30 billion this year - down from $35 million last year - newspapers are desperate for ways to increase the paltry $3 billion that online ads took in last year.

However, some newspaper publishers are not eager to embrace the pay site model. Former newspaper editor and current blogger Alan Mutter told the Associated Press that "the guys who hold off [on internet fees] could have a huge windfall in new traffic."

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