I got the email 6 times. I thought maybe they thought I wasn't listening! LOL

Hey Gina, What's this business adding our name to a financial scheme when we submit a new password? Yukkk.

If you look up Cointent you will find that they are a Bay Area venture-funded start-up with business plan to help small publishers like the PW to monetize their content with a micropayments system. Cointent are managers of this website's software now. I believe it reasonable for you to expect the PW to begin charging online readers a small fee to read certain articles/content.

@Franco, Do you think it reasonable for PW to charge me for online reading in addition to my paid subscription for the print edition? I thought it was a combo deal.

moose...have you considered cancelling you account? try it...

I have NO idea. I am just reporting what I learned about Cointent. Ask PW what THEIR intent is, why they are using Cointent, and how this would work with paid print edition users IF they intend to charge for any online content.

In the past Gina has stated that PW receives no revenue from traffic-related advertising hits. Perhaps Cointent is advising on that practice?

Charging - even "micro-charging" - for content does not work as advertised. WAPO and NYT tried to put their content beyond a firewall and ended up having to go with a hybrid model which allowed access for n-number of articles for free. Upon reaching that number, they cut off access until the next month.

Even when firewalled, you can paste a snippet of that content (perhaps found in a comment on a blog) in a google search and view the article in its entirety, circumventing the firewall.

The miracle of the internet :)

So it is unlikely the full revenue potential is ever realized if there is payment for subscription.

DKHSK (Formerly Dan from BC)

And I suspect that the recent changes are due more to PW being hacked back this last Summer than to revenue issues.

Just my opinion.

Dan

Here is a quote from Venturebeat -
Web Link
'CoinTent is currently setting deals with publishers so that its wallet can become the default way readers buy articles and subscriptions around the web. "
CoinTent website is -
Web Link
So, appears very much PW will be doing some kind of charging for content.

At the CoinTent website scroll down to "Features". This essentially describes their business model. All about payments and subscriptions, etc. I am now wondering if PW will soon or eventually go to a subscription. Their sister paper Palo Alto Online is also a "partner" with CoinTent. There is nothing here to do about "hacking" or the sort. No other reason to "partner" with CoinTent unless charging for content is in the future.

Franco,

You're right; micro-payments and subscriptions.

Regrettably I stand corrected. I say "regrettably" because I think its been demonstrated time and again that when paywalls go up, traffic comes down and other ways to access content go up. PW will experience a revenue spike initially, but it will level off because only the "true supporters" will pay for the content.

Oh well...

DKHSK

New handle, ae you a PW "true supporter" or just another TROLL with a new down graded handle?

Michael,

Have some (more?) egg nog and relax. We can tangle after the holiday. :)

Merry Christmas!

I have never ever put my birthdate or any credit card number on my computer and never will. Any business running a lucky winner, local or not, does not get my participation if I have to put my birthdate online. I call 800 numbers and place orders verbally. Now we have to offer last 4 of social, which reduces the math probabilities. I will not hand my info over to hackers, and will not participate with companies that ask me too. Yes, I get paper bank statements from several local banks. dUtility, no I have never entered my card number online. That's my condition if they want my money.
There have been a number or stations and networks that have run drawings that include BD, WHY ?? I HAPPILY show my legit driver's license and soc sec IF and when I might, over long odds, be a winner. Otherwise, info just sits on their end, waiting for hackers getting my info, for what purpose. Not gonna happen!. I will do MY part to protect myself, and only work with others who also respect my security.

What is Cointent financial gain? Doesn't the public benefit more, the fewer hands in the kettle?