Just an fyi to anyone who accesses Dispatch.com or post links to their website: Beginning on October 1, they will charge non-subscribers to the print version $4.95 to access Dispatch.com http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/news/news02/sep02/1485252.html
So-o? Ever notice their site isnt filled with ads and pop-ups? I'm not a Dispatch subscriber... but considering what all Dispatch content I can get to from the 'net... I'm on their side. Do you know anything at all about business? BTW: If I HAVE to tell you how you can get around this, then you arent very creative. Hint: Who do you know.
When I moved to Ohio from New York to go to college, the nearest "big" paper was the Toledo Blade. I used to tell people it was the absolute worst newspaper on the face of the earth. A few years later, when I moved to Columbus and started reading the Dispatch on a regular basis, I always felt like I owed the Blade an apology. The Wolff familiy and their little monopoly on local info has allowed them to run this crappy little rag like a Mom and Pop Carryout for years now. Screw them and their $4.95.
Just another sign that the free ride on the Internet is almost over. Looks like we won't be able to post links to the Dispatch anymore after 10/1.
Bill: 2 thoughts. 1. You obviously havent read the Dayton Daily News 2. The Other Paper Summary: People get what they deserve and, considering the mentality of the avg Buckeye Fan,....
I'm just saying that their product sucks overall and I'm not going to pay to get their great late breaking story about the Police being acquitted. Do you think those banners and other advertising buttons on their website are free? When you are in the articles, do you see the advertisements within the stories? Sure, they don't have the same number of ads on the online version (yet) as they do in the paper, but if they are going to charge for it, they need to have a better product. I can get news elsewhere for free and I will.
Letter to the Editor So, my theroy is that the Dispatch believes it's content is better than what other sites can provide for free. Is the Dispatch story on the Crew better than the AP wire? Hmmm, perhaps. But is it worth the coin? How many people from outside the region are registered to Dispatch.com? And how many subscribers will now cut and paste these stories to send to friends or post on message boards. Tis unfortunate, as I know plenty of readers from outside the region do enjoy the stories, but won't be willing to pony up more. They'll continue to read stories from free-lance writers on "non newspaper" sites, that have 95% of the same scoops you guys have. And the additional 5% would just be spread via word of e-mail. I mean, I read CBSMarketWatch instead of the WSJ...I read Yahoo Finance for stories...having completed a graduate degree in MIS and discussing e-commerce for 2 years...I'll be interested to see how this plays out...afterall, we predicted it would be the next step by newspapers. Should be "fun" ---- And he can pay me if he wants to know what my theroy is for newspaper e-commerse...but here's the short version. You can't charge the end consumer...you've got to find another revenue stream. If you can't find it...You're out of a job in 10 years Mr. Editor.
It will be interesting to see how boards such as bigsoccer treat the cut and paste method. A few months ago, I'd done that and it was removed by the moderators because they said it wasn't allowed. I guess we'll have to see.
it's still not allowed...because the dispatch can sue the site for intellectual property. It's a shame that the dispatch hasn't figured out that you need that notoriety from online link trading. the WSJ, quoted in the diatribe may still have readership around wall street...but I'd never read it now...too much good info is available for free. the dispatch missed the boat, and if they think people will subscribe to read buckeye articles, they're nuts.
The Dispatch, WBNS 10tv, Ohio News Network, ThisWeek Newspapers, The New 97.1, ColumbusNow, and 1460 The Fan are all part of the same physical network (most home to web.dispatch.com) so it would be interesting to see if the same policies apply to their content as well... For example, you want to read the latest Merz article, don't go to the Dispatch, go to one of their associated web sites... In other words go here: http://www.1460thefan.com/tf.php?story=dispatch/news/sports02/sep02/1484027.html not here: http://www.dispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/news/sports02/sep02/1484027.html All my logon's to the Dispatch have been disabled for some reason... I guess they don't like my obscene, disposable email addresses. But I would be willing to guess the content is identical to what is on the Dispatch web site. Identical content, all homed to the same (group of) servers using PHP to apply a differing site template to the same content... Of course, as soon as some WBNSpatchNNeek1460 dork sees this they'll figure they better "close this hole" and before you know it nobody will be going there for anything...
The thing I want to see is their traffic. because it will plummet when this happens...so much so, they'll wonder where it went... And the other news organizations in town can grab it very easily if they want. should be fun to watch.
Speaking of The Dispatch, anybody remember Columbus icon Bob Greene? Moved to the Chicago Tribune, famous columnist, wrote a book about growing up in CBus, all that? Well, guess who's going to be subject to the Illinois version of Meghan's Law? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...915/ap_on_re_us/columnist_resigns_6&printer=1
reply Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We will see what becomes of free sites. Online Editors www.dispatch.com ---- Wow, they are really taking a dumb position. This will be entertaining.
Re: reply I needed a good laugh.... ...this position makes as much sense as "the Dispatch is now printed on smaller newsprint because that's the industry standard" or "we are raising the price of the paper because newsprint costs have risen." I guess the truth: "We think we found a way to fleece our readers out of more money" just wouldn't cut it.
Practically. Banner ads don't cost jack, 'cause nobody ever pays attention to them. The truth is, there are so many OSU football fans all across the country, and a lot of them won't mind shelling out an extra $5 to get Todd Jones' latest opinions on why Tressel should or should not be fired this week.
as much as I lke reading about Columbus and keeping up with my home town, as much as I love Merz's "master of the obvious" reporting of the Crew, I won't be paying to access the site. BWG Richmond, VA