1. Daily news content should remain free for all users.
Even among the sites of the big five dailies -- USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post -- only the business-driven Journal currently operates a fully paid-subscription model. Charge for archives, charge for online exclusives, that's fine. But you had better have some tremendous local news coverage and/or truly beloved columnists if you expect users to pay rather than look elsewhere for their daily news.

2. Free content should be available without required registration.
Sure both of the Times do it, but they are who they are. The key for "lesser" papers: You don't want to drive away one-time users. In particular, you don't want to drive away those who think they are one-time users but who, in reality, might return to your site if they like what they find. In my own Web use, I find I have to really want the information and be certain I won't find it elsewhere before I'll give up my registration information. And the accuracy of my given personal information varies depending on my perception of a) how reputable the site is and b) how justified the site is in asking for it. L.A. Times? Sure, fine. Tulsa World? Forget it.

This might be the number one reason not to ask for personal information if you aren't charging for content (i.e. obtaining credit card information against which personal info can be verified): You're aggravating users and you have no way of verifying the accuracy of the information you're gathering. Show of hands…all those who have lied on an online registration form?

3. Of course you would never compromise your users' personal information, right? Good.

4. Users should have numerous payment options.
Offer both per-item and (monthly, quarterly, yearly) subscription-rate options for paid content. Accept as many payment methods as possible, including checks sent by snail-mail. You don't want to exclude those who trust your organization but are still leery of online payments.

5. Print subscribers should have free access to all online content.
Why? Well, mainly because it's the right thing to do. If you need a more financial justification: It reinforces the idea that their print subscription is valuable and worthwhile. Most print subscribers are well aware that they can get the news online for free. They continue their subscriptions for various reasons but I'll bet a large majority share one common belief: that their continued subscription constitutes a certain amount of loyalty to your newspaper. If you try to pass off an additional charge to these customers, you will be met with furious cancellations.

Feb. 23, 2003