"How about a tip box?
Many blogs offers the ability to voluntarily pay the blogger or website for the content -- there'll be a Paypal button and you can send jkottke or the Wikipedia a fiver for offering some entertainment or knowledge or both.
Why doesn't The Guardian try something similar? Or how about a voluntary subscription by direct debit set by the reader? I've you've enjoyed this post by Charlie Brooker, how about helping to pay his salary?
Often I'll buy a copy of the paper if I'm out and about but it'll sit unopened because I've read the content online. But I really don't mind spending the money because I know that one won't necessarily exist much longer without the other.
I'd gladly set up a DD to pay ten pounds or whatever a month to cover the days I don't go near the newsagents but want to pass on a donation."
Tip boxes for newspapers.
Newspapers I've just posted this idea to CurryBet Martin's feedback post about The Observer:
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2 comments:
The Miami Herald introduced a tip-jar in December 2009, but they've just recently withdrawn it - the newsosaur has more details at http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/2010/02/tip-jar-vanishes-at-miami-herald.html
Thanks Martin.
It's interesting that the reason they give is because they felt it conflicted with a charity appeal. I expect The Guardian would run into a similar problem because of their own Christmas appeals. It's the choice I suppose between giving your copper to a busker or someone rattling a collecting tin.
But I would also add that the Herald is a local paper, whereas The Guardian is an international paper (judging by the readership figures outside the uk).
It would be a case of leaving it up to reader choice, the PBS of newspapers.
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