NPR CEO Vivian Schiller: Newspapers Must Keep Content Free

For Vivian Schiller, CEO and president at NPR and the former head of NYTimes.com, the ongoing debate about free vs. subscription for the newspaper industry is clear for her: Free is the way to go.

Not only is there more revenue to be made through advertising, putting up a subscription wall will drive consumer to drive traffic to "lesser quality news content that is free," she told me in the interview. She also speaks about the decision to "ungate" the New York Times Web site.

Comments

[dax49]

she would be better served to look into her paying juan williams salary while he "carries water" for fox

[ProperGanda]

That is a very unflattering capture image

[fictioneer]

I read more when I read a newspaper than when I read news online. When I buy a paper, I read it. When I go to the site, I click maybe 4 links and am done.

[jukesgrrl]

But it's OK for NPR to beg for money four times a year.

[suec03]

By seeking out donations from listeners, they keep access to NPR stations and the website free for everyone else.

[scpatl4now]

if you had watched the clip you would have heard her address that. She is someone who actually "gets it". Nobody will pay for something that they can get free elsewhere