How Not To Do Paid Web Content

The New York Observer reports that 3 months after going to a “paid access” or subscription model, once popular website Newsday has garnered just 35 paid subscribers.

That’s right: Thirty-five

In late October, Newsday, the Long Island daily that the Dolans bought for $650 million, put its web site, newsday.com, behind a pay wall. The paper was one of the first non-business newspapers to take the plunge by putting up a pay wall, so in media circles it has been followed with interest.

…

That astoundingly low figure was revealed in a newsroom-wide meeting last week by publisher Terry Jimenez when a reporter asked how many people had signed up for the site. Mr. Jimenez didn’t know the number off the top of his head, so he asked a deputy sitting near him. He replied 35.

Michael Amon, a social services reporter, asked for clarification.

“I heard you say 35 people,” he said, from Newsday’s auditorium in Melville. “Is that number correct?”

Mr. Jimenez nodded.

Wow. It should be noted, however, that the website offers free access to all print subscribers, as well as to certain cable television subscribers. Publisher Terry Jimenez explained that web was not intended as a revenue generator, but rather as way to provide extra benefit to loyal subscribers.

But still… 35?

We can’t know whether the move to a paid-content format affected the print or cable subscription rates. Though it would be hard to imagine a large enough bump to offset what must be an astronomical drop off in online advertising revenue.