News, particularly when it is local and thus not widely available, has marketplace value. Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper publisher, is planning to mine that value by moving all of its 80 community newspapers doing business online to a paid model by the end of the year.
Acccording to PaidContent, The New York Times and Forbes, the company expects this new online subscription model to contribute an incremental $100 million in earnings to the publishing segment annually beginning in 2013.
The company also expects to generate significant incremental advertising revenue from digital platforms.
Gannett’s papers include the Reno Gazette-Journal, the Hattiesburg American, the Greenville News, the Salem Statesmen Journal, the Great Falls Tribune and the Montgomery Advertiser, to name a few.
Online access will be metered and allow readers access to five to 15 stories free, depending on the market.
The company’s flagship paper, USA Today, is exempt.
[UPDATE 2.23.12]
