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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Newspapers may be about to charge for online content

Newspapers may be standing at the edge of a great abyss.

Local newspapers were the first to suffer the chill wind of change as the internet began taking over as the place people get their news. National newspapers are now suffering and Murdoch is reacting. This week he announced that he will introduce charging to all his news websites, including those for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and the News of the World, by next summer.

This is a fascinating and important issue for us all. How do newspapers carry on fulfilling their key role in a world where content is increasingly seen as something that people feel should be provided for free, whatever the cost of gathering it.

Read more in The Independent on Sunday on the latest here. You may also like to read why The Guardian's Dan Kennedy thinks Murdoch's on a beating to nothing. Also The Huffington Post's Peter Scheer weighs up the issue and media entrepreneur Steven Brill is proposing Journalism Online, an operation that would allow newspapers and magazines to charge for online content. Can it work?

All very interesting in its own right and fro us at HArringay Onlien too. What role will sites like this play - and how will sites like this ensure they can keep going. Will it be by donation?

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Can I also suggest James Harkin’s short article in the Guardian. It looks at this topic, but flags-up far wider implications — beyond the finances of traditional newspapers. (And of the Murdoch empire.)

Harkin’s other pieces on digital media are also worth reading. His is an intelligent, informed, but sceptical voice among the general gush of e-democracy, e-community, and e-millennialism.
With regard to murdochs online news sites charging to logon.
I beleive the general 'news' content will be free. It's the 'insider info' like finance etc that people will have to pay for.
As far as all that goes, there will always be somebody to fill a vaccum left behind by the likes of murdochs news sites, and offer a free online news service. It's silly to think we won't get our news 'fix' for free online, just not where we're used to finding it. Remember we are creatures of habit and it always takes a little time for us to change our (online) habits. Sites have two main ways of generating revenue, donations or subscriptions etc or onsite advertising.
There are 'freebie' newspapers on the street but i still prefer to pay for my news. Why ? because it is a better quality and is more informative.
there's also something primal about folding a paper with one hand and a coffee in the other.
In case people didn't spot it, can I add a new link.

Simon Jenkins' wrote an interesting and thoughtful piece in the Guardian on 11 August - GoodBye Guardian. Hello the Guardian Experience. He argues that all media need to generate audiences willing to enjoy and pay for something not available online for free - "a unique participative experience". He gives the example of the boom in live music at the same time as a lot of online music is losing money.

Seems to me there are wide implications here, including, as mentioned by Hugh - the future development of Hol and other community websites and blogs.
Does anybody on this (excellent) site read anything other than the Guardian?
It's a fine paper but I worry that everybody seems to have largely the same views, which are clearly comfortably re-inforced by their choice of reading matter. By the way, what happened to that bloke whose mug shot with a mug frequently appeared on the site.
Glynn D.
When it comes to choice of newspapers i want a 'balanced' view. If you cannot tell whether a newspaper is giving a 'balanced' view then there is not really any hope. Good luck with it though.
Yes Glynn, some of us do :-)
I think I'm the guy with the mug. Still here; still posting.

As far as the newspaper readership of this site goes, there are some vocal Guardian readers, but my impression is that we also have other views well represented - as some of the barneys we host bears witness.

What do others think?

I agree with you about the dangers of all sharing the same views whilst imagining we're a broad church.
Sorry, Glynn, but the Guardian is essential for Steve Bell and Doonesbury. Nor would I miss Sacha Baron Cohen's inspired and hilarious spoofs, writing in his invented persona of Polly Toynbee - a naïve gullible liberal.

Each day we avidly bought and read the Daily Telegraph’s exposé of the Parliamentary expenses scandal. I treasure their booklet with all the delicious details. A generous resident regularly sends me cuttings from the paper.

I find Private Eye essential reading, though sadly, their Rotten Boroughs column never seems to spot the many suitable Haringey stories.

Haringey People is always vastly enjoyable for the very latest photos of my esteemed council colleagues. Then there’s a handy reprint of Council and LibDem press releases called the Hornsey Journal. To find out what's actually going on locally I rely on HoL.
I enjoy the horoscopes in the tottenham journal.
Looks as if Stephen is trying to blacken the reputation of the Telegraph.

As for me, as a scotsman, I try to remain independent but at times the sun (which is of course a star ) arrives in the mail and holds the mirror up to nature.

Edit

Where did Stephen's post go ? I worked hard on the above but it's a bit irrelevant without Stephen's reference to newspaper proprietors in gaol :-(
John D
If you want to talk to the great man himself here is his telephone number :0011-352-689-4000 when the nice person answers say you want to talk to 'The lord Black of Crosshabour' but remember the time difference to Florida. Alternatively you could write to :
Inmate C. Black
18330-425
Coleman correctional Facility
Coleman, Florida, 33521
USA

He always writes back to me but it's harder to get him on the phone.
Alternatively you could wait until his successful appeal comes through shortly (pending oct'09) whereupon you can see him face to face. Seriously ! Him and me are good friends.
Hope this helps.

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