The Paywall Trend

The transition from traditional newspapers to online viewing has had a tremendous impact on the newspaper publishing industry.  In an attempt to recoup some of its lost revenue, many U.S. newspapers have begun implementing paywalls.  Paywalls prevent a user from accessing certain web content without a paid subscription, but most print subscriptions include unlimited access to the pay site. Though certainly not the first to put up a paywall, The New York Times seemed to lead the revolution with 41 publications following suite in the third quarter of 2011.  The success of these paywalls varies greatly though, with some seeing a significant increase in income while others have had a substantial decline in web traffic. Digital circulation now accounts for 14.2 percent of newspapers’ total figures, up from 8.66 percent last year.  This infographic, presented by Best Colleges Online breaks down the who, what and why of paywalls.  What content do you think is worth paying for?