Comments on: Newspapers: utility or entertainment? http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/06/newspapers-utility-or-entertainment/ How to survive and thrive in the digital age Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:37:09 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Joan http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/06/newspapers-utility-or-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-1603 Joan Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:18:34 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=184#comment-1603 argh, that's "too" much. argh, that’s “too” much.

]]> By: Joan http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/06/newspapers-utility-or-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-1602 Joan Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:17:38 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=184#comment-1602 I LOVE Mint, by the way. I think it's great. I also like that you can recategorize or create your own categories. To your question, I like Cesar's point. INFORMATION is a utility. However, paid information isn't, necessarily. I liken it to the sales tax argument that we have in PA. Food/groceries are not taxed, because, hey, you need to eat. BUT... prepared foods are taxed, because you don't "need" that convenience; it's a luxury. Paid news content is somewhat like that. You can get the info without the cost. At least, that's one argument. Since my newspaper subscription is handled through the paper I work for, I can't complain to much! :) I LOVE Mint, by the way. I think it’s great. I also like that you can recategorize or create your own categories.

To your question, I like Cesar’s point. INFORMATION is a utility. However, paid information isn’t, necessarily. I liken it to the sales tax argument that we have in PA. Food/groceries are not taxed, because, hey, you need to eat. BUT… prepared foods are taxed, because you don’t “need” that convenience; it’s a luxury. Paid news content is somewhat like that. You can get the info without the cost.

At least, that’s one argument. Since my newspaper subscription is handled through the paper I work for, I can’t complain to much! :)

]]> By: César Chaman http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/01/06/newspapers-utility-or-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-1590 César Chaman Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:22:36 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=184#comment-1590 Focus just on utility and answer this question: Do you need to pay for information (newspaper) when information is flowing everywhere, in radio, television and in Internet? Eight years ago, the news agency I worked in used to charge a low amount to its clients every month. But it started to have less and less users because it has no sense to charge for something that goes free in other sources. There's no alternative, Mark. Cut one of your newspaper subscriptions. And good luck! Greetings from Lima. Focus just on utility and answer this question: Do you need to pay for information (newspaper) when information is flowing everywhere, in radio, television and in Internet?
Eight years ago, the news agency I worked in used to charge a low amount to its clients every month. But it started to have less and less users because it has no sense to charge for something that goes free in other sources.
There’s no alternative, Mark. Cut one of your newspaper subscriptions. And good luck!
Greetings from Lima.

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