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  • Jun, 2012

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    Pay to Access News Websites

    Q. Some newspapers in Australia now require readers to take out a subscription to view all their articles online. This means, while some news and opinion articles are free, readers will have to pay to access all content. How likely would you be to pay a subscription to access news websites?

     

    Total

    7 Nov 11

    Total

    Aged

    18-34

    Aged

    35-54

    Aged 55+

    Read The Aust

    Read SMH

    Read Tele

    Read The Age

    Read Herald Sun

    Read Courier mail

    Total likely

    9%

    13%

    22%

    11%

    6%

    25%

    28%

    18%

    22%

    10%

    18%

    Total not likely

    88%

    82%

    71%

    85%

    93%

    72%

    69%

    79%

    76%

    88%

    81%

    Very likely

    2%

    3%

    5%

    3%

    1%

    12%

    7%

    6%

    5%

    4%

    5%

    Somewhat likely

    7%

    10%

    17%

    8%

    5%

    13%

    21%

    12%

    17%

    6%

    13%

    Not very likely

    18%

    17%

    16%

    18%

    17%

    19%

    18%

    19%

    21%

    19%

    13%

    Not at all likely

    70%

    65%

    55%

    67%

    76%

    53%

    51%

    60%

    55%

    69%

    68%

    Don’t know

    4%

    5%

    7%

    5%

    *

    3%

    3%

    4%

    2%

    2%

    2%

    13% of respondents said they would be very or somewhat likely to pay to access news websites – up from 9% recorded in November last year.

    Younger respondents were more likely to be willing to pay for access to news websites – 22% of those aged under 35.

    Current readers most likely to pay for access were readers of the SMH (28%), The Australian (25%) and The Age (22%).

    Only 10% of HeraldSun readers said they would be likely to pay for access.

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