Are you paying for it

[just john]

So now the Times is charging for much of its on-line content, ( they weren't the first though, so did Autosport a little while ago)
Well you know what they say, ''If you have to pay, you don't deserve it''.
 Certainly I won't nor buy his papers or TV channels while there is an alternative, but who will?, 
Could the internet become no free show?

[Quillan]

Well I quite like reading The Times online when its free so will I pay to read it, no probably not. If all the papers charged and it was about the same amount then I might consider paying for The Times but then it depends how much they will be charging. I see some of the French papers have already gone down this route and others are said to follow this year.

[misplacedperson]

I can't see this being successful while you can still read the Telegraph, Independent and Guardian without paying a fee.I suspect people will just grumble a bit and then switch sites.

[Gemonimo]

I never have time to read The Times from beginning to end but I do enjoy Charles Bremners comment/blog page which I can still get without paying.

[mint]

[quote user="misplacedperson"]I can't see this being successful while you can still read the Telegraph, Independent and Guardian without paying a fee.I suspect people will just grumble a bit and then switch sites.
[/quote]

I heard a so-called pundit predict that where the Times goes, others will follow.  Apparently, the others are just watching to see what happens before acting themselves.

You will recall that the Times (well, Murdoch, I suppose) were the first people to move out to Wapping and, indeed, within a very few years, Fleet Street was no more.

[Gluestick]

Murdoch is, IMHO, fighting a rear guard action. Successful sites are "free", mainly because of the raft of ads they carry and the "Click Through" incomes generated.

One only has to consider how much cash Google generates each year.

The day of the printed paper is almost run: if newspapers charge for viewing their sites, then people will desert them in droves. Papers anyway use advertising increasingly to defray production costs: what's different? Well, savvy ad buyers see far higher traffic in areas other than tired newspaper offerings, for one.

Murdoch cynically sort of highjacked football to sell Sky subscriptions: by singlehandedly creating a new product The Premier League.

Most of us seeking valid commentary and the "Real" news now in any case, source such via News Aggregators and alternative web news sources: if only to escape from the incestuous charade that mainstream media has become: biased self-conscious comment, "analysis" which is simply regurgitated PR puffs from government, industry sources whatever: plus oddles of celebrity nonsense, eulogising about people who are famous for being famous: and 17 endless pages of utter tripe about bloody football: The Times included, sadly.

The Thunderer today is a pale imitation of the days of yore: and bears more passing resemblance to a sort of Yuppy Sun!

Good luck Mr Murdoch and to use the old Naval expression: "I wish you joy of it!"

 

 

[misplacedperson]

Apparently, the others are just watching to see what happens before

acting themselves.

No doubt. But if what happens is that Times readers desert en masse to the Telegraph, other papers aren't going to go there, are they?

[Gardengirl]

I read Times online, but no longer do so, as I won't pay for it. I've moved to the Telegraph, while it's available.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I won't pay for it, and there will always be somewhere you can get the news and sport free. Plus you don't get as much in the articles as you do in the paper edition anyway.

I rarely read the news, too depressing.

[Pickles]

According to the Grauniad, large numbers have voted by closing their wallets ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jul/20/times-paywall-readership

Regards

Pickles

[Quillan]

And I am one of them, not paying that is.

[mint]

Well, the Times has only got itself to blame.

I stopped buying it for a while when it went from broadsheet to micky-mouse size but did go back as I was too used to all the different sections and I loved Simon Barnes' writing.

Then, I went to only buying on weekends, then to reading it on line. 

And now, I have stopped reading it altogether

[just john]

I don't even bother to log on to the times any more, what is ridiculous is that, when logging on to the FT, and then a particular article the same wall comes up, however if you then search out the article on google it allows you access straight to it! although they may have a limited number of access allowed before inserting the wall, after that I will just be using the free ones, no matter how many annoying ads[:D]

 

[tonyinfrance]

Same for me - I subscribed to The Times for years using very cost-effective coupons - the cost gradually increased as one might expect but a couple of months ago the cost doubled and I gave it up.  I'm not going to pay for access to their website either.........

[Judith]

No - and the redesigned web site is a load of rubbish too - as is the redesigned BBC site, which is also less informative than the old site.

Plus ça change ..... they never learn ....  if it aint broke, don't fix it!!!

[pachapapa]

The BBC page does in fact sit better on a netbook in its new format.

[Judith]

[quote user="pachapapa"]The BBC page does in fact sit better on a netbook in its new format.[/quote]

But not all of us have a netbook!!!  It's not good on my mac anyhow.....

[Weedon]

One of the benefits of living in a part of France that is a bit short of brits is that it is not possible to get an English newspaper. I did go through a period of the shakes whilst weaning myself off the habit but I was able to get a substitute in the form of the Connexion but I am NOW CLEAN. Trouble is that I can't go near anybody reading a paper cos it will put me back on the habit.  Try it folks, it's lovely living in a newspaper free world.

 

[Judith]

Yes, I rarely read a newspaper now, a quick look online for major news, and then away.  I occasionally buy a paper if I have loads of time, and want to have a really lazy day, otherwise it's a total waste of money as I never get chance to do other than scan it through very quickly.  It's a holiday perk, a bit like buying [women's - put here what you like to read most] magazines - on holiday!!

[just john]

I must confess to being a Sat morn Junkie for the Telegraph because it is such great value with so many interesting (and a few not, in France I can't stand the Weekly round-up version,) supplements, it can last till Sunday if Sat is a busy day; having said that, it does occasionally get dropped without any detrimental side effects, During the week, it's t'internet or rarely, local rag, but once a week generally is enough of a fix, papers that is[:)].

[Weedon]

Become a guppy (give up papers permanently y'all) just like me JJ...you know you want to[:D] Think of the telegraph poles you will save!

It's a bit like sex really, after a while you just get used to not having it on a sunday morning, and then you think you might as well go the rest of the week.[:$]