Recent months have seen former subscription-only news sites remove the cost of reading articles, including the Wall Street Journal, Economist and the New York Times. It comes as industry leaders have realized that consumers are only willing to pay for content of a specific and intense interest, and that news, video and other mainstream items are expected to be free and widely available. Media outlets are now being forced to turn to an advertising-based business model to sustain revenue lost from offering material without a paid subscribtion.

This kind of shift represents the impact that the Web and those who utilize it are having on the traditional modes of business. Enticing more visitors to the site with free content means that companies can charge more for advertising, and an online model allows for significantly more growth than one with a stiff subscription. Additionally, it adds strength to the world of digital media, one that is not only being affected by Web 2.0, but is slowing overtaking print media as the place to turn for news and events. Now that more mainstream sites are opening their doors to everyone on the Internet, a complete media transformation may be closer than we realize.

Labels: Web Technologies