I opened the punch website this morning ready to read some news after doing the same on Thisdayonline. A click on a headline brought me to a surprise message 'Effective from May 29th 2009, access to read news stories on our website will be by subscription. The subscription amount of N1,500 per month gives access to your authoritative news on:
Punch website (www.punchontheweb.com) Punch Mobile (Read news on your mobile phone)ePaper (Your favourite newspaper exactly as it appears in print)
Payment for subscription can be done through
Debit card (Interswitch) Visa card (including Visa electron) Purchase of scratch cards at designated Punch offices nationwideCash at any First Bank Branch
Thank you.
The Punch Online team
That means that punch has little or no online presence. Do I see them succeeding with this? I am not very sure because there are other news websites that carry juicy information. Except other websites decide to restrict viewing to subscribed members, Punch will surely revert back to the free view status they were in. I am sure that the new policy will generate more money than they would have got from increased traffic.
The truth is that most of those who read online news are not ready to subscribe for a view. This is the first news website that I know which has introduced this kind of subscription fee. Do they think Punch is an academic journal.
Mr. Punch, there are many ways to make money from your online presence without having to ask for subscription fee. I hope you will not regret this.
Good luck Mr. Punch but do not say I did not warn you.
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