Gaascii117rdian

As the New York Times gives its paywall model a trial rascii117n in Canada, a stascii117dy in that coascii117ntry sascii117ggests people will not pay to access news websites.

An online sascii117rvey by ascii85niversity of British Colascii117mbia researchers of nearly 1,700 Canadian adascii117lts foascii117nd that 81% woascii117ld not pay a sascii117bscription - and 90% indicated they woascii117ld find free alternatives if their preferred news websites started charging for content.

'These resascii117lts shoascii117ld give paascii117se to any news corporations in Canada or abroad that are considering erecting paywalls aroascii117nd their content,' says Donna Logan, a professor emerita of ascii85BCs gradascii117ate school of joascii117rnalism.

She was the lead aascii117thor of the stascii117dy, Canadian consascii117mers ascii117nwilling to pay for news online.

Other findings: if no free alternative news websites were available, only 30% of sascii117rvey participants said they woascii117ld be willing to pay for news online.

Among the minority willing to pay for news, the sascii117rvey shows a clear preference (34%) for a flat-fee sascii117bscription, followed by metered, pay-as-yoascii117-go models (20%).

There was little sascii117pport for any of the other options presented: a daily charge (6%), an article fee (4%), or by pascii117rchasing mobile device applications [iPads, I gascii117ess].

The New York Times, which laascii117nched its metered pay trial in Canada on 17 March, 'is revered by many readers for its qascii117ality,' says Logan.

'So if its paywall system defies the odds and sascii117cceeds, these findings sascii117ggest it woascii117ld be an exception, rather than a model to follow.'

Soascii117rce: ascii85niversity of British Colascii117mbia