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USA Today Launches Worst Idea Ever: e-Newspaper That You Pay For
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by Truemorist | June 10, 2009 at 03:45 pm
1213 views | 25 Recommendations | 6 comments
Who wants to pay for "an electronic replica" of USA Today?
That's what I thought.
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Except, here's the thing: USA Today actually thinks this is a good business idea. So good, in fact, that they're launching a new email-only version of the paper that readers will have to pay for.
How much they'll have to fork over for some digital ink in their inboxes isn't exactly clear — although "slightly less than printed editions" isn't exactly winning us over.
One more question: was the printed newspaper worth paying for in the first place?
That's what I thought.
The new version will be sent by e-mail to readers beginning Aug. 3 and cost slightly less than printed editions of USA Today, which is the nation's largest newspaper by circulation.
Good luck with that one, guys. And maybe give Craig Newmark a call while you're at it — we hear his little classifieds site has about $100 million more than you do.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 16:24 on June 10th, 2009
Good luck with that.
It's been tried.
NY Times tried "premium content" for pay and abandoned it.
DenverTimes.com crash and failed hard.
USA Today does not have compelling content. Won't happen. No way.
at 16:25 on June 10th, 2009
There are many other things which are worth for to pay for them.
at 16:45 on June 10th, 2009
You must be joking. I won't even read the paper version when they leave in front of my hotel room door.
at 19:10 on June 10th, 2009
So, lemme get this straight... USA Today wants me to pay them to spam me?
at 02:34 on June 11th, 2009
What am I going to wipe my butt with?
at 05:58 on June 11th, 2009
If all newspapers charged for content they produced would that discourage readers from jumping from one website to another to avoid paying?