onlineuniversalwork

Oh yeah and good job on the Six Figure Chicks stuff too.

I remember the Washington (or NY) Post I think it was (?) requiring signups way back when and whenever they were linked to I just didn’t bother. Even if it’s free and even if it takes a few seconds to do it’s just unnessecarily annoying.

Murdoch’s mention of unique and engaging content is interesting and as you say can only point to commentary as the bulk of it is syndicated. Celebrity news is most definately syndicated unless perhaps it relates to Australian celebs but honestly who reads about them?

As a blogger part of me is actually looking forward to this being implemented. Whilst I’d never intend for OzSoapbox to be a ‘breaking news’ site (I don’t have the resources and am happy column-writing), if the major players lock up their commentary I’m more then happy to pick up the slack.

If news sites try this again, but also add a cost, then the same massive Fail will result.

But what of Rupert’s promise to create unique and engaging content ? Nice spin, but how will that happen ? Rupert is currently sacking editorial staff across Australia. Are we to believe he’ll now suddenly start hiring loads of new online staff ? Don’t think so. What we see now is basically what those sites will have to launch with. The main investment will go into the pay-wall technicals and the “sign up now” marketing spin.

As for Fairfax, they intend to have some content free; some paid. What sort of split ? Breaking news will need to stay free because that’s what brings in the readers. It’s also mostly wire copy and fairfax can’t afford a worldwide apparatus to duplicate world breaking news.

So the paid content would be mainly comment. But that’s what dedicated bloggers do for nothing. Very easy to avoid paying. Likewise I can’t see Australian media putting celebrity news behind a paywall, or sport. It’s far too easy to locate alternate free sources, or for small operations to start up.

This may also be a huge opportunity for some organisations to run their own speacialised news feeds and offer that up to aggregator sites and cut out the “media middleman”.

The non-paying public is not going to be out shivering in the cold wailing to be let into the paywall news sites. That’s not the way the web works. As soon as there’s a reader demand for something, the free web will fill it.

The Australian Paywall Cartel will merely accelerate innovation and change. Good times ahead !

From what I understand the massive amounts of money being lost in printed news is hurting the online sectors. Instead of scaling back the print formats as demand declines they want to double dip and have online readership subsidise the now redundant print format.

As for cash for comment you’ve only got to look at all the press Masterchef and Dancing with the stars get through News Corp to realise somethings not quite right.

2) Given that so much of what passes for news is actually “cash for comment”, why should I pay for it anyway ? See http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2637817.htm