5 ms·

Check out Blendle.com. I haven't used them much recently, but I enjoyed paying for quality journalism per article. There is (or was) an HN sign up promo somewhe

by fovc 9y ago

Check out Blendle.com. I haven't used them much recently, but I enjoyed paying for quality journalism per article. There is (or was) an HN sign up promo somewhere

anigbrowl 9y ago
I don't think this for-article model is a good one. It turns journalism into piecework, and while there's the opportunity to strike gold and get lucky with a particularly timely or well-received piece, it also tends to prioritize quantity over quality because the former yields more predictable rewards.
- js2 9y ago
  Hmmm. Publications have always had a mix of both subscriptions and newsstand sales. Pay per article is just a more granular version of that. Unfortunately I can't afford all the different publications that might have an interesting article from time to time, but it seems like it would be their loss if they completely paywalled everything off. Maybe something more like gym memberships would work where you could purchase say a 10-article "punchcard" or a subscription.
  - mattkrause 9y ago
    It might be too granular. One of the things I like about print magazines (and newspapers) is the serendipity--you read something that wouldn't normally grab your attention because it's on the next page and...you've already paid for it, after all. Paying per article seems like it would push people only to read things that they're sure they'll enjoy (based on the author, title, etc).
    - js2 9y ago
      True, but I already have more than I can read. You could always let readers make the decision to pay after reading, with maybe a reasonable limit.
      - mattkrause 9y ago
        I do too, but...here I am. I wonder if an opt-out payment scheme would work: you authorize the site to bill you up to (say) $5/month. When you finish reading an article, the site deducts $0.25 from your account unless you take some simple action. If your account is empty, you read for free until the next month, and maybe some "proud support/well read" flair or something. It does put a limit on the site's monthly revenue, but perhaps ensuring that readers feel like they're getting what they paid for helps make up for that.

by fovc 9y ago

Check out Blendle.com. I haven't used them much recently, but I enjoyed paying for quality journalism per article. There is (or was) an HN sign up promo somewhere

anigbrowl 9y ago

I don't think this for-article model is a good one. It turns journalism into piecework, and while there's the opportunity to strike gold and get lucky with a particularly timely or well-received piece, it also tends to prioritize quantity over quality because the former yields more predictable rewards.

js2 9y ago
Hmmm. Publications have always had a mix of both subscriptions and newsstand sales. Pay per article is just a more granular version of that. Unfortunately I can't afford all the different publications that might have an interesting article from time to time, but it seems like it would be their loss if they completely paywalled everything off. Maybe something more like gym memberships would work where you could purchase say a 10-article "punchcard" or a subscription.
- mattkrause 9y ago
  It might be too granular. One of the things I like about print magazines (and newspapers) is the serendipity--you read something that wouldn't normally grab your attention because it's on the next page and...you've already paid for it, after all. Paying per article seems like it would push people only to read things that they're sure they'll enjoy (based on the author, title, etc).
  - js2 9y ago
    True, but I already have more than I can read. You could always let readers make the decision to pay after reading, with maybe a reasonable limit.
    - mattkrause 9y ago
      I do too, but...here I am. I wonder if an opt-out payment scheme would work: you authorize the site to bill you up to (say) $5/month. When you finish reading an article, the site deducts $0.25 from your account unless you take some simple action. If your account is empty, you read for free until the next month, and maybe some "proud support/well read" flair or something. It does put a limit on the site's monthly revenue, but perhaps ensuring that readers feel like they're getting what they paid for helps make up for that.