Turning around a newspaper

Apologies for not writing for so long...I had switched from the practice of writing a blog article to tweeting (or Re-tweeting) my thoughts in 140 characters. I am back now to the longer form of expression.

I had blogged a few months back(click here) saying that newspapers should examine putting a value on content.

I read a Newsweek article today (click here) that the Newport Daily in Rhode Island has started charging $345 for annual online subscription. The article also talks about the positive impact that this has had on print subscription cancelations. The newspaper is now planning to run its online division with a profit objective. Wow! Kudos to them for experimenting with pricing rather than sticking to the convention.

I am convinced more than ever that newspapers should consider charging for online content especially if:

• the content is local and no other publication would cover it (e.g. Newport Daily)
• the content is specialized and the publication is a must-read for a reader segment (e.g., Wall Street journal, Barron's, etc)