Just one in twenty (5%) of Brits who read a free news website at least once a month would stick with the site if charges were introduced, according to a new poll. The survey of more than 1,000 British adults was commissioned by paidcontent and carried out by Harris Interactive. In addition, nearly three-quarters (74%) of those quizzed said they would look elsewhere if a paid model was put in place. Nearly one in ten (8%) said they would only read the website’s free headlines.
The findings follow the announcement from News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch that all of his major newspapers – including the Times and the Sun – would be charging for online content by the end of June 2010.
Meanwhile Google is currently developing technology that will allow newspapers to charge users for certain online content using a system of micro-payments
www.paidcontent.org