Comments on: Free is the only business model for online news http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/ Nic Brisbourne's view from London on venture capital and exploiting change in technology and media Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Hoover http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-3014 Hoover Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:06:39 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-3014 Interesting comparison between the Guardian's approach and the FT's. The solution for the FT would be to build a community that discusses the news like they do on the Guardian site. However... let's not forget reality: 1) Guardian readers have more time than FT readers to discuss the news. Guardian readers' time is less valuable than that of FT readers. 2) Guardian readers have a background of debate and discussion of abstractions, gained at university. They're attracted to the site because they can continue that debate for free with like-minded readers. FT readers, on the other hand, are there to glean data. They don't want to discuss abstractions. Interesting comparison between the Guardian’s approach and the FT’s.

The solution for the FT would be to build a community that discusses the news like they do on the Guardian site.

However… let’s not forget reality:

1) Guardian readers have more time than FT readers to discuss the news. Guardian readers’ time is less valuable than that of FT readers.

2) Guardian readers have a background of debate and discussion of abstractions, gained at university. They’re attracted to the site because they can continue that debate for free with like-minded readers. FT readers, on the other hand, are there to glean data. They don’t want to discuss abstractions.

]]> By: Hoover http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11432 Hoover Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:06:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11432 Interesting comparison between the Guardian's approach and the FT's. The solution for the FT would be to build a community that discusses the news like they do on the Guardian site. However... let's not forget reality: 1) Guardian readers have more time than FT readers to discuss the news. Guardian readers' time is less valuable than that of FT readers. 2) Guardian readers have a background of debate and discussion of abstractions, gained at university. They're attracted to the site because they can continue that debate for free with like-minded readers. FT readers, on the other hand, are there to glean data. They don't want to discuss abstractions. Interesting comparison between the Guardian’s approach and the FT’s.

The solution for the FT would be to build a community that discusses the news like they do on the Guardian site.

However… let’s not forget reality:

1) Guardian readers have more time than FT readers to discuss the news. Guardian readers’ time is less valuable than that of FT readers.

2) Guardian readers have a background of debate and discussion of abstractions, gained at university. They’re attracted to the site because they can continue that debate for free with like-minded readers. FT readers, on the other hand, are there to glean data. They don’t want to discuss abstractions.

]]> By: Rob Eberstein http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2952 Rob Eberstein Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:40:53 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2952 Absolutely agree. Other newspaper sites are monetising in slightly different ways - dating, fantasy football & bingo etc, though not sure the FT would approve of the latter! Maybe Fantasy Stock Markets instead. Absolutely agree. Other newspaper sites are monetising in slightly different ways – dating, fantasy football & bingo etc, though not sure the FT would approve of the latter! Maybe Fantasy Stock Markets instead.

]]> By: Rob Eberstein http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11431 Rob Eberstein Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:40:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11431 Absolutely agree. Other newspaper sites are monetising in slightly different ways - dating, fantasy football & bingo etc, though not sure the FT would approve of the latter! Maybe Fantasy Stock Markets instead. Absolutely agree. Other newspaper sites are monetising in slightly different ways – dating, fantasy football & bingo etc, though not sure the FT would approve of the latter! Maybe Fantasy Stock Markets instead.

]]> By: Will McInnes http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2941 Will McInnes Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:42:42 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2941 Nic - I agree, although it is slightly intellectually disappointing that there isn't a new fangled business model that has emerged yet, but clearly - as you say - the advice has to be to accelerate into the freeness and distributedness of content, and to use clumsy but proven tools to monetize (advertising!). Nic – I agree, although it is slightly intellectually disappointing that there isn’t a new fangled business model that has emerged yet, but clearly – as you say – the advice has to be to accelerate into the freeness and distributedness of content, and to use clumsy but proven tools to monetize (advertising!).

]]> By: Will McInnes http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11430 Will McInnes Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:42:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11430 Nic - I agree, although it is slightly intellectually disappointing that there isn't a new fangled business model that has emerged yet, but clearly - as you say - the advice has to be to accelerate into the freeness and distributedness of content, and to use clumsy but proven tools to monetize (advertising!). Nic – I agree, although it is slightly intellectually disappointing that there isn’t a new fangled business model that has emerged yet, but clearly – as you say – the advice has to be to accelerate into the freeness and distributedness of content, and to use clumsy but proven tools to monetize (advertising!).

]]> By: Farhan Lalji http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2940 Farhan Lalji Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:12:50 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-2940 Interesting, wondering if the increase in traffic and ad income would offset the income from the subscribers (no matter how minimal the number of subscribers is). Would be interesting to see the wsj subs numbers and compare. Interesting, wondering if the increase in traffic and ad income would offset the income from the subscribers (no matter how minimal the number of subscribers is). Would be interesting to see the wsj subs numbers and compare.

]]> By: Farhan Lalji http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11429 Farhan Lalji Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:12:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2008/07/28/free-is-the-only-business-model-for-online-news/#comment-11429 Interesting, wondering if the increase in traffic and ad income would offset the income from the subscribers (no matter how minimal the number of subscribers is). Would be interesting to see the wsj subs numbers and compare. Interesting, wondering if the increase in traffic and ad income would offset the income from the subscribers (no matter how minimal the number of subscribers is). Would be interesting to see the wsj subs numbers and compare.

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