Study: People won't pay for news online

Most Canadians refuse to pay for news online. A UBC study suggests so long as free alternatives exist, our wallets will remain closed. Alfred Hermida with the UBC School of Journalism says their research comes less than a month after The New York Times announced it would charge Canadians for online content. "When people bought newspapers, what they were buying wasn't just the information it contained... but they were buying a package. So, it's really not just about selling the content, but selling how you deliver it." If free sites weren't available, only 30 per cent of readers would be willing to pay for news online. Another 28 per cent are willing to pay for breaking news and 16 per cent would purchase features.Some say this could make newspapers think twice about setting up pay walls.