Next Tuesday, another paper will begin charging for online content, but this one isn’t exactly a big-city news hawker.
The Hibbing Daily Tribune —circulation 5,700 — announced this morning their plan to put up a pay wall in an effort to get the Minnesota town of just over 17,000 to cough up some dough for online local news.
But besides constant snowstorms, the world’s largest iron mine and Bob Dylan, the town doesn’t seem to have much else going on, though there was an interesting article on the homepage about the local Delta Waterfowl chapter and its recent drive to get more youth involved in bird hunting. Apparently, the club doesn’t think enough kids in Hibbing are involved in “outdoor sports.”
And though the wall doesn’t officially go up until next week, you already have to register to find out online access will cost $65 per year. A one-year subscription to Delta’s hunting mag? $50. And a free hat.
Competition for readership should be fierce.
