Women’s magazines are continuing to plummet in readership. Presumably due to digital publications. But surprisingly this week, BuzzFeed and The Huffington Post are cutting jobs because revenue growth is inadequate and resources need prioritising elsewhere. It begs the question, should digital publications and news be free?
The internet has spoilt us
Though we pay for the internet, websites generally don’t require fee. Our psyches believe it’s become our right to click on any article or site we choose without spending a penny. We associate purchasing with physical products. Actual newspapers and magazines we can take home and keep till we’re ready to watch Marie Kondo. Our lack of paying has resorted in many news companies using paywalls.
The Wall Street Journal for example, asks you to subscribe to read a full article. Depending on your interest, you will pay to read or you’ll go elsewhere and look for the same story on a different site. As there’s countless places to source information, much of the news is written repetitively. Meaning what someone might pay for, another can get for the price of nothing.
According to Quartz, journalism paywalls don’t work as the logic behind them goes against the primary aim “to educate and inform the public about important issues.” When there’s a breaking news story or an exclusive, it’s hard to capitalise if only a handful of paying customers have opportunity to see. The Guardian on the other hand, reveal The New Yorker paywall is tremendously successful. An estimated $118m made from its subscription last year.
Adverts or credit cards?
YouTube forces viewers to either watch an advert or pay to remove. People feel disgruntled with any form of advertising, yet have zero expectations to provide compensation. As a blogger, I think I’ve every right to receive an income for sponsored posts if a product represents my values. Some seasonal bloggers think rookies don’t deserve to make money, until years of proven experience.
People are growing to distrust influencers and bloggers. It’s not hard to see why when a handful flog items on a daily basis. One day it’s a protein shake and the next it’s a toothbrush followed by an outfit. Considering the effort and time to produce posts, isn’t it fair to want a form of income? Regardless of your years producing content, if you have a readership, what’s wrong with utilising? Should news be free no matter where it’s found?
I think we have to realise the expertise behind digital publications. How do we request our news be free and of good value without payment or adverts? Why is it okay for hard-working writers and journalists to not financially benefit greatly, despite thousands or millions reading their creativity?
Supporting the creative arts
As a professional writer, this is a concerning issue. While no one thinks a lawyer or accountant should undertake volunteer work prior, creative freelancers are taught it’s a blessing. Contributing is what you must do in order to prove yourself. Consultancy UK has reported on the rapid rise of freelancers.
The lucrative offering of working for yourself and choosing your own hours from home is appealing when commutes like train journeys are unpredictable and the 9-5 system seems outdated. The issue with creative work, is the ability for anyone to classify themselves regardless of talent. It’s easy to buy a camera and call yourself a photographer or write an article and describe yourself a writer.
Many fantasise writing for Vogue or Elle, conjuring Carrie Bradshaw images. Ignorant of the struggle’s writers face and the limited creative control available until they reach a certain level. The Independent recently published a piece on freelancers demanding protection from UK law. Illustrator Holly Exley spoke to the newspaper and reported on being ask to collaborate (receive no pay) despite a “decade of experience”.
Lack of quality content
I spent a year working predominantly for credentials on my CV. The moment I decided to charge, happened after realising the income I was generating. I recognised my talent and chose to stop undervaluing myself. Since then, I’ve always taken a pay check. Nineteen-year-old Rachel McMahon was freely creating quizzes for BuzzFeed, unaware that she was the site’s second biggest traffic creator for her quizzes.
NY magazine Intelligencer interviewed McMahon and discovered she little realised her free work amassed colossal traffic. One arguable point on whether digital publications and news be free, besides news being attainable to everyone and freedom of the press, is whether content is good enough. Women Need Content Worth Reading.
Karl Lagerfeld during a video interview, spoke about lazy journalism. How publications do not entice readers to spend. I agree with him. News publications and women digital magazines often report the same stories. Everything from The Oscar nominations, to the woman who wore a dress inside out and inspired a designer to show clothing seams. Powerful essays are here and there. Celebrity interviews are predictable – ‘I get nervous on the red carpet’ – and female guides are cliché drivel – ‘on a first date, be sure to smile and try to relax’.
News be free vs. talent
Consumers are likely to pay if they appreciate the worth. It’s hard to tell a reader to give money when similar sites are not asking. Overtime, I think people should prepare to subscribe more. With that said, bloggers and digital publications should consider their offerings. Research I recently read, states 2019 blogging is about long, informative posts.
The growing rate of freelancers means more will step forward and fight for income. Advertising rates declining means newspapers are probable to looking at paywalls, and consumer media might look at their content to try to gain lost readership. The journalist industry is stepping on icy waters, falling like retail. Hopefully 2019 will encourage the editorial market to wake up and plan a thriving comeback.
Should digital publications and news be free? Are you willing to pay for any sites, and if so, which ones? I’d love to read your feedback.
Very interesting read. My gf left her business job to pursue digital journalism and it’s a rapidly changing industry, especially now. Traditional papers are in transition trying to get more of the online market etc. Journalists not getting paid for the amount of work they do. It really is a crazy time.
Paid vs unpaid writing work is a challenge too. Often writers get taken advantage of. I don’t really have a point to add but did enjoy reading this as it’s relevant as writer in today’s digital age. Thanks Laura!
Can I ask how your girlfriend is getting on as a journalist? Has she accepted free work before? It’s something I had to do a lot at the beginning but now say no to. I think paywalls could be a good solution to solving some of the pay issues.
Thank you so much Paolo for reading!!
She’s having a hard time finding full time work. Her focus is sports journalism/broadcasting so it’s a niche industry with most opportunity on the u.s. She worked there for 2 years until Visa expired but now hard to get working visa there. Our market in Canada is so small and the traditional newspaoer/media companies have been cutting back staff a lot. She’s taken free work in the beginning to build her experience for sure. Pay wall concept is good, but I think companies make so much from clicks and traffic that it would be hard to get same traffic if had paywall. Not sure if data shows that but just my thoughts.
I think it’s The New York Times who has introduced a paywall and it’s given them millions or something crazy in revenue. I think paywalls work if you already have the visitors. For newer sites it will be much harder and for sites that publish a lot of breaking news stories.
Maybe paywalls on certain articles is the way forward? And in the UK, the industry is in the same position. Media companies are cutting back staff and it’s causing more to go freelance without having enough work.
Thank you for sharing Paolo! I hope the industry picks up soon or change happens to improve the situation.
Something to think about that’s for sure. Indeed here’s to hoping! Thanks Laura!
As a journalism student, I loved reading this! It’s such a tricky debate and I think it really shows how the state of today’s society is changing how we read news. I do approve of the Guardian’s tactic where breaking news is there for all to read but certain, more investigative pieces can be paid for with their subscription- I hope that people will support that kind of scheme more in the future, although it does run the risk of people still choosing not to pay. Great post!
Thank you Rebecca! It’s tough with news because there are so many sites. I think you have to really like a site to want to pay. I think there should be more schemes like that as well though, because it encourages writers getting paid what they deserve.
What’s your ideal publication to write for? 🙂
It definitely is tough- I think this debate will never really be resolved as it just depends on each publication. Definitely, people should value good writing more!! I’m not sure what my ideal publication is to be honest, I’d love to write for a women’s magazine but I’m still early on in my degree!
I’m sure you will get there! It is a tough debate with so many questions. I’m not exactly how it will go but I think digital publications will be forced to change sooner or later.
Thank you, I’m sure I will! Only time will tell really, but I think changes will have to be made eventually too…
For me to pay to become a reader, it will definitely have to be for content that is worth reading. I suscribe to wrtiers magazines because the content is something important and interesting to me. It can help me with my “trade.”
New, on the other hand, I can catch that for free on too many sights and on tv. The other problem with news, is there are so many fake news or politically slanted news, I cold never pay for it, but I do understand that newspapers have to make a living. It just won’t be from me.
A very fair point you’ve made. Fake news has become a thing and sometimes publications capitalise on it for click-bait. I think what makes the difference, is how someone writes about it.
If it’s just reporting on something that’s already out there on the TV, I’m not interested. But if a news article is full of insight, maybe some history and investigative work, I’m much more likely to consider paying.
Hope you’re having a great weekend Andrew! Thank you for commenting as always 🙂
Yes, I am. Thanks. Have a good one.
I will absolutely pay for quality content, both online and offline! I want to buy more magazines, but most of them are filled with adverts and telling women how to lose weight or something like that. And then how to bake a really sweet chocolate cake on the next page.
Like what you write on your blog, I would love if magazines had more of this, you’re such an amazing writer, and you always have such high quality in your posts! I’m always going “aaw, I wish I could write like her!”
I want a magazine that will have this kind of writing, and things like making it at your job, how to change careers, how to stand up for yourself, how to be the best you, becoming a “boss lady”, etc. Not a bunch of get fit, lose weight, how you look cute and just that. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I mean I read that too, but I want more =) I guess I want a balance between all of that. There’s more to a woman than our bodies =)
I would be more than happy to pay, even if I technically can’t afford it! Actually, if I could find magazines like that, I would probably subscribe to the physical magazine AND read it online.
Thank you for Jea for putting a huge smile on my face! It would be awesome having my own magazine and featuring it with similar articles on my blog. Or writing articles like this for magazines.
I am 100% with you. I use to read women’s magazines and listen to their every word. But then I started realising how robotic some of the articles are. They are not unique or compelling enough, and like you say – it’s like diets on one page and it’s okay to eat chocolate on the other.
There’s not enough useful pieces on careers and education. I asked my friend what articles she’s interested in for blog inspiration, and she spoke about how expensive it is to get qualifications or take classes and gain education. That to me is what we need more of, not just 2019 diets and stories on girls who have multiple partners etc.
Thank you so much for this comment! You’re awesome 🙂
As are you 🙂
I used to spend so much money on all the magazines, but all I ended up with was not feeling good about myself and my ody. I was never thin enough. So I just won’t buy them anymore…
I’m the same. Though I did buy did this month’s Harper’s Bazaar (admittedly for photos – hides face) but did like the travel section etc. It was enjoyable but many many adverts.
I’ve never read Harper’s Bazaar, it’s too expensive for me… I once ripped out the pages with adverts in a magazine, I was left with less than 50% of it!!
Shocking right! It’s not something I usually buy, but it came with a book on 100 places to visit and see. Some of it was a bit silly. But I was curious how much I’ve not yet and apparently there’s alot!
Oh I love reading those books! Sitting there and imagine all the places I’m going to visit, and then going to Copenhagen for the day (again) XD
I’d love to visit Copenhagen! I think there are so many places around Europe I have yet to explore. Even in the UK where I live, there’s countless places I;ve not been.
Copenhagen is so amazing!! I’ve been to London, Birmingham, Nottinghamn, Stratford and one more city I can’t remember right now in the UK, all so great! I would really love to go to Edinburgh and then Stratford again!
Yes I’ve always wanted to visit Edinburgh. There are just so many places on my holiday wishlist. Or places to explore list.