What Murdoch will place behind Wapping paywalls | Media | guardian.co.uk
[...] freelance sports writer Norman Giller implies that he has the inside track on the "small bands of sworn-to-secrecy internet-savvy News International journalists and webmasters preparing for the paid-for launch." He writes:
"As I understand it, general news will still be free but exceptional columnists such as Jeremy Clarkson, Steven Howard and the big-name celebrity 'writers' like Terry Venables, Harry Redknapp and Ian Wright will only be available in the paid-for package...
"Sports will be a key seller, particularly with The Sun service. Subscribers will be offered a free direct-to-your-mobile results service, there will be videos of goals and cut-price offers from all the sports goods and clothing manufacturers.
"This, wrapped up with Page 3 girls at their most alluring, bingo and puzzle games offering huge cash prizes plus a promotional link with Sky will, they hope, make it an offer too good to refuse."
As I've been saying for a while in various posts on my blog about the future for the mainstream media, if you offer something that some people will find compelling and willing to pay for it, you might have a viable business model.
Sounds like News International know their customers.
