The latest from new media guru Steve Outing’s Twitter feed: “Isaacson, Brill, Mutter, et al. Tired arguments on failed micropayments model to save newspapers. Fail. Think different! They point to doom.”
The Kicker — February 9, 2009 12:28 PM
Outing: Proposed Micropayment Models “Point to Doom”
By Megan Garber
Subscribe to the Columbia Journalism Review at our special Web rates.
Desks
The Audit Business
- The private-equity problem with Romney and GS Technologies Loading up a company with debt to ensure Bain’s own profits
- Sorkin’s Glass-Steagall straw man Of course its repeal contributed, directly and indirectly, to the financial crisis
The Observatory Science
- Evolved for exhibitionism? Wired column makes weak claims about human behavior, psychology
- Reparative journalism Reporter sinks a controversial paper on “ex-gay” therapy
Campaign Desk Politics & Policy
- When a ‘birther’ story comes knocking After congressman’s comments, a Denver TV station doesn’t let go
- Herald’s Caputo dives deep on diverging polls Do other news organizations undermine their credibility when they don’t do the same?
Behind the News The Media
Blog
The Kicker last updated: Fri 11:09 AM
- David Simon, creator of The Wire and Treme, on the Times-Picayune cuts
- The Times-Picayune cuts staff and print runs
- Broadcasters sue to keep political ad buy data offline
- The Pulitzer Prize luncheon, storified
- A game of telephone fools the Times
The Future of Media
News Startups Guide last updated: Wed 2:13 PM
- Missouri Scout Subscription-based niche political news from a stockbroker turned political junkie
- Eye on Annapolis Unadorned, up-to-the-minute news for Maryland’s capital city



Steve,
After reading graf after graf of your epic tome with the promise of offering a funding model for journalism, you delivered this:
"Only the last fee is voluntary, and it will be up to publishers to educate the public on the importance of paying for content online."
Are you kidding me? Charity? Is that the big idea you're all excited about?
I don't know which is more lame: micropayments or handouts.
Newspapers and their sites need to make money the old-fashioned way - but earning it from paid advertising.
Read how here: http://www.brasstacksdesign.com/bell_tolls_for_time_too.htm
And here: http://www.brasstacksdesign.com/monetize_online.htm
#1 Posted by Alan Jacobson, CJR on Tue 10 Feb 2009 at 04:16 PM