"We filled the vacancy the next day"
Charging for online news 'will drive consumers away'
By Camille Borrell
Charging for local online news content is not likely to be successful, digital media developers have been told.
According to one internet expert, trials being run by Johnston Press to make visitors pay for news articles will drive people away.
"Numerous studies show that people won't pay for content they can get elsewhere for free, and given the reach of the BBC's local news services, I imagine that many surfers will simply end up on the BBC site," said Ben Camm-Jones, news editor at Web User.
There is a need to monetise online news content as advertisers are reluctant to spend big money on the sites, but making people subscribe is not likely to be the answer, he continued.
Johnston Press, one of the three largest local newspaper publishers in the UK, launched a trial for paid content this week for some of its publications.
The three-month initiative will give the publisher insight into customers' preferences and allow it to better understand the relationship between print and online editions.
Charging for local online news content is not likely to be successful, digital media developers have been told.
According to one internet expert, trials being run by Johnston Press to make visitors pay for news articles will drive people away.
"Numerous studies show that people won't pay for content they can get elsewhere for free, and given the reach of the BBC's local news services, I imagine that many surfers will simply end up on the BBC site," said Ben Camm-Jones, news editor at Web User.
There is a need to monetise online news content as advertisers are reluctant to spend big money on the sites, but making people subscribe is not likely to be the answer, he continued.
Johnston Press, one of the three largest local newspaper publishers in the UK, launched a trial for paid content this week for some of its publications.
The three-month initiative will give the publisher insight into customers' preferences and allow it to better understand the relationship between print and online editions.