The source of the content is irrelevant (however interesting, TIL). There are too many companies disseminating the same content, as you point out, for free to m

The source of the content is irrelevant (however interesting, TIL). There are too many companies disseminating the same content, as you point out, for free to make the other companies viable unless the consumers feel particularly inclined to that given company. The New York Times, for example, would probably have an easier time getting subscribers than the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald because they have more reputation, deserved or not. From pure market forces though which the vast majority of consumers operate on, they have no reason to subscribe to NYT -or- DTH because there are a thousand other small papers distributing that same article as you've pointed out for free.