There were disgruntled haters earlier this week writing pitifully, saying they would not read the St. Augustine Record if they have to pay for it.
We've been subscribing to the St. Augustine Record for very nearly fourteen years, and have lived here for fourteen years come November 5th. Wouldn't dream of not paying for our local newspaper. How can any newspaper survive if people don't pay for it and read it online?
What is so unpardonable about a paywall? The Record plans to allow people to read five free articles a month without paying. Some papers allow more, some less.
Why do these haters rage?
They include some misbegotten racist, sexist, homophobes who regularly post illiterate opinions on the Record's currently "free" website -- a "free-for-all" for haters -- and some who post elsewhere.
What they have in common is a sense of "entitlement" -- they think news is a free good. It costs money and time to gather.
Do they pay for water, sewer, garbage collection, electricity and telephone service?
How do they expect a profit-making corporation to pay their reporters and staff and give the news away for free? These are the same people constantly misusing the words "socialist" or "communist," who expect newspapers to serve them without compensation. Am I missing something here?
Several freeloadng "Anonymice" airily promised not to read or post on the Record's website after November 2, 2013. Great news!
Presumably, their number includes the anonymous hater who posted the death threats directed against our City officials on July 24, 2013 at 6 AM, demanding that the Mumford & Sons concert be canclelled and calling for City officials to be "lined up and shot" in the Slave Market square. Haters, be gone!
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