Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, recently announced that the social platform will allow media publishers to charge users per article read with a single click. Musk called this feature a win for both the public and media organizations, which has raised expectations in the media industry.
Rolling out now in May, Elon reported on Twitter, the new feature will allow users who don’t subscribe to monthly to pay a higher price per article when they want to read an occasional article. This measure represents a significant change in the media business model and could be a solution to the decline in advertising revenue that has been observed in recent years.
Challenges and opportunities for the media
The media industry has been facing many challenges in recent years. Traditional business models have been challenged by the emergence of new competitors and declining advertising revenue. In addition, the media have been dealing with threats to press freedom and increased government propaganda around the world.
In this context, Twitter’s initiative to allow publishers to charge per article read could be an attractive solution for media outlets looking to diversify their sources of income. However, this change also raises questions about the sustainability of the model and the possibility that readers will be discouraged from reading articles if they have to pay for each one.
The decline in press freedom is a serious problem that affects many countries around the world. The UN has reported that 85% of the world’s population has experienced a decline in press freedom in their country in recent years. The celebration of World Press Freedom Day on May 3 is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of free expression and the critical role of independent media in promoting democracy and human rights.
Leaving information always behind a paywall can be a risky decision in a world where only those with money make a decent living.
