I was googling something the other day and the answer I was looking for was on a newspaper website.  It wasn’t the New York Times or Washington Post, but it was a site for a big city newspaper.

The article loaded on my screen for about 5 seconds.  Then a pop-up came on the screen saying that the article was for paid subscribers only.  What?!

This isn’t the first time this has happened to me.  I’m not going to lie, it makes me angry.  Why can’t I read your article online for free?!? 

If this trend continues, I am guessing CNN and MSN will have you paying for use, too.  This is ridiculous. 

Before I go on, let me say that I have bought the newspaper, and continue to do so on occasion.  I’m not against paying for that, but an article online?!  Why?!?!

I don’t even remember what I was searching for now, but it certainly wasn’t something I was going to pay for.  I also don’t do enough surfing of one particular newspaper site to warrant me paying for a yearly subscription.

So am I to start charging YOU for reading my blog?!  Of course not!  I’m not out to make money off of my readers.  (I did see where you can gift a blogger their yearly fee, which I would never ask anyone to do.). I guess that’s where I am different from the newspaper.

Maybe I am in the minority here. How do you feel about this?