There’s a ton of talk that the authorities of many respectable newspapers are about to implement the ideas to make their online news paid. It makes no surprise actually when analyzing the state of today’s publishing industry. According to the words of Financial Times editor-in-chief, Lionel Barber, Internet users will have to pay for the access to the news online in 2010. Public opinion does matter so it is quite hard to imagine that people will feel comfortable of paying for something that used to be free.   

Even though the crisis is predicted to come to the end, this is hardly possible that we all will be swimming in money just after the end of recession. So it also sounds doubtful that Internet users will be ready to pay for the news available from alternative free online sources. To the regret of newspapers’ editors, blogging and social networking are unstoppable.  

Even if all the online news websites will become paid, this is simply in human nature not to pay for things that used to be free. People just will not be ready for additional expenses.  

Let’s delve a bit deeper into this subject and analyze the advantages of online news comparing to offline editions. Online news is incomparably much more versatile, free and, of course, issuing in much shorter terms. Whether users don’t like the content on one site they can easily search for another interpretation of the required news or subject on another website. Moreover, online news includes multiple types of content including images, photos, audio and video. People are becoming extremely busy these days so it’s no surprise that we want to get the needed information and news right here and right now. Only the payment process alone can frustrate even the most patient and interested of us.

Moreover, as online advertising is cheaper and often free and more accessible, businesses prefer to advertise online. Newspapers are running out of steam not standing management spending loads uncompensated by paid advertising.

Here I would like to post a chart of the most popular news websites. The chart has been compiled following the Hitwise data.

Would these news websites be so extremely popular if being paid? Sounds very dubious.