Jacksonville.com offers exclusive paid content, Bad move?

[Mathew1056]

Jacksonville.com has gone live with its new members-only website. The site offers exclusive content and more in-depth reporting. As a reader i can't help but feel like the move will deteriorate the free general content offered on the original website. Judging by the outpouring of negative responses on the comment section announcing the start of the service i'd say i'm not alone. Whether you like it or not the T-U is one of the main news sources in town. It was already lacking in coverage before the start of the new web service. I feel this creeping dinosaur needs of true competitor. MetroJax is a nice alternative for some topics, but I could imagine the service expanding to cover more general topics. Now would be the time to start that process. The public is fed up with the T-U and looking for alternatives.

[spuwho]

Not much of the T-U could be considered "exclusive".

80-90% of the news material they publish is from the newswires, which is free on Google News.

Some in frequent investigative journalism, ie: JTA Bus Drivers does hit the mark, but outside of high school sports, what else do they have that is original?

They aren't the only ones doing this. Tribune Group (LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun) just started theirs.

They even demoted their iPhone/Android apps so they don't work anymore.

[stephenc]

They even demoted their iPhone/Android apps so they don't work anymore.

The app on my android phone and tablet still works. Have articles from 1 hr ago.

[RexMontana]

Who would pay for what jax.com has to offer? Probably the same people that would pay $1 for a weekly paper that used to cost only 25 cents! I for one will not be subscribing to their money making scheme!!

[If_I_Loved_you]

Who would pay for what jax.com has to offer? Probably the same people that would pay $1 for a weekly paper that used to cost only 25 cents! I for one will not be subscribing to their money making scheme!!

(I for one will not be subscribing to their money making scheme!!) If The Florida Times Union doesn't begin to make money we will be another large city to see the daily newspaper go to three days a week or nothing at all!

[Bill Hoff]

There's a new column from Littlepage about Hemming Plaza that I'd like to read, but not for $12/mo!

Orlando's digital only subscription is $1 per week . . . after .59 cents the first five weeks. That's reasonable.

Tampa's is $43.68 per year, less than a dollar per week. Very reasonable.

Jacksonville's is over $100 per year.

That's craziness!

[RiversideLoki]

Yeah, they just shot themselves in the foot. I'm not paying 11 bucks to get talked down to by right wing domestic terrorist keyboard commandos in the comment threads.

[thelakelander]

The Little page column basically talks about the chamber's trip to Cincinnati, where they got to see a revitalized Washington Square Park. It ends with him making a point that Cincinnati programs its parks and that we need to do something about the current people in Hemming.

[Ralph W]

I've noticed in the past that the Littlepage regular column is sometimes a rehash of topics discussed here on MJ - right down to the conclusions and opinions. I don't know if that's a good thing or not but it presents wider dissemination of popular as well as somewhat well thoughtout views.

[brainstormer]

I think it is hard for any company that has been offering something for free, to start charging for the same service.  I actually really like downloading the Sunday newspaper on the TU iPad app.  It seems like there are more investigative and local stories on the weekend. However, $12 a month to download four Sunday papers isn't really worth it.  I wish there was a point of service option.  Maybe 50 cents for M-Sat. and $1 for the Sunday paper download.  I'm guessing jacksonville.com will pretty much become useless if I decide not to subscribe.  At the same time, I understand reporters need to support their families too.   

[kreger]

It's worth $2.00 a month at best. Looks like MetroJacksonville.com has a real opportunity to step up to the plate.

[peestandingup]

Who would pay for what jax.com has to offer? Probably the same people that would pay $1 for a weekly paper that used to cost only 25 cents! I for one will not be subscribing to their money making scheme!!

Except that those people are likely older generations who probably don't know how to use the internet. Hence won't be paying for any online exclusive content. And young people sure as hell won't be paying for it.

Good luck to them I guess, but its a desperate move from an aging media dinosaur. I wonder how long it'll be before local news channels will want old people to pay them for their 30 minutes of horse shit that you could get in a minute on the internet too??

[Bativac]

Maybe I'm violating the first rule of Fight Club here but I can still see all the "Members Only" articles with no problem. Is this just a glitch on my end or is it something Jacksonville.com hasn't fixed yet? Or should I keep my mouth shut and enjoy all these sweet, sweet free Ron Littlepage editorials?

[Dapperdan]

Its not as bad as everyone is making it. Most major newspaper sites have a paid section. I only get the  Sunday paper. I signed up for a promotion to get it for 5 bucks per month. I now get the Saturday paper as well as they no longer do just Sunday, and I still pay same price. I get access to the memebers only area  for the 5 dollars per month I am paying for the weekend service.

[NotNow]

Yeah, they just shot themselves in the foot. I'm not paying 11 bucks to get talked down to by right wing domestic terrorist keyboard commandos in the comment threads.

I'll talk down to you for $5 a month!