Times Paywall
I have just read a half decent look at how the times might be faring behind their new paywall, no idea if it is accurate or not, but I suspect it is close:
http://www.beehivecity.com/newspapers/times-paywall-more-analysis-of-the-data191807/
I have always thought that it would fail, but if it could succeed for anyone it would be The Times. They are a pretty decent paper, usually the one I pick up if I feel like reading one. And I used to read their website every now and again.
I still come across links to The Times with articles that I want to read, but of course I cannot read them any more, and while previously I would find myself on their site 2 or 3 times a week I do not value this at £2 a week worth of material. However there is also the argument that if I paid £2 a week then I would not need to buy the paper at £1 a day. This is not entirely accurate as I still place some value in being able to hold and rifle through the paper instead of clicking on links.
If I had an iPad and made a daily commute I would probably give the app a go, at £10 a month it could easily occupy me on an hour long train journey every morning. But then again so can BBC News, The Guardian or The Telegraph.
I think the main problem is that there is nothing special about The Times, there is nothing really on the times site that I cannot get from any other. And if there were something I really wanted that I could only get from The Times, such as Lord Mandelson's book being serialised last week, I would simply buy the paper and put aside an hour to read it.
No point to this post, just a bit of a ramble. I don't think the paywall will work, but I don't think it will 'fail' either. so it is probably here to stay, but I hope other publishers find better methods to make money than paywalls, they are rather annoying.