The transition from traditional newspapers to online viewing has had a tremendous impact on the newspaper publishing industry. Â In an attempt to recoup some of its lost revenue, many U.S. newspapers have begun implementing paywalls. Â 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. Â 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. Â This infographic, presented by Best Colleges Online breaks down the who, what and why of paywalls. Â What content do you think is worth paying for?
