- I'll pay for news that's local
- I'll gravitate to news sources that are free, but only if they serve a niche well (can't be too general) or have a particular angle to hit and grind
- I could be persuaded to buy some access to premier publications if they have features (like kick ass sharing or research features)
- I'll subscribe to longer form news journalism, but only those that kick a most serious ass (The Economist, The New Yorker, The Atlantic)
Narrowing this already narrow publishing point down to The Issue involving my own business niche with dictionaries: The above points illustrate why publishers will have such serious issues when print finally does diminish so far as to be unsustainable. Without a product people can buy, who will feed the expensive authoritative lexicographical factories? (Non-authoritative? You may be able to sustain with cheaply produced pulp.) Paywall services rely on 1) great design, great execution, great features that allow users to rock their own world and 2) authoritative content. Unless your dictionary is the top of the heap within a narrow category, or unless it's Webster's or OED, you better be planning to make a top tier service incorporating all of your best content on the web right now. If not, you'd better be really good at grabbing eyeballs and selling advertising.
