Paying for Access to the Free Content We're Providing

[JoLynne]

KCKady ... I certainly understand the financial pressures the Star and other newspapers are facing and the need to charge for access. At the same time, though, the paper is also asking the active moms on this site to provide free content for the paper. It would be a nice gesture if the Star would provide free access for those of us who are active in Mom2Mom. Seems a shame that we would have to pay to access content we are generating for you.

[battlefieldmomma]

If you have a subscription on the print side, you should have free access (I haven't used mine in awhile).

On another note for KC Katy, I use to advertise fairly regularly in the KC Star (classifieds), but the price kept creeping up & up until it was cost prohibitive. I see that I'm not the only one because the print classifieds are no where near the volume they use to be.

I think it is time that the KC Star revamped their classifieds, get with the "time" & do a mixture of Craigs List & Classifieds (ie, for a small fee, advertise online with a set number of pictures & for another fee or a bundled fee, advertise both online & in print). KC specific - not associated with some national group.

[JoLynne]

Once upon a time, anyone contributing copy to a publication received what was known as a "contributor's copy," even if the publication couldn't afford any other form of payment. Seems like something like that would be a courteous gesture.

[mighty]

I must be waaay behind. Is the Star going to start charging for access to (this) internet site? If so, when does it start?

[JoLynne]

This month. Here's the Star's article on the topic: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/co ... scription/

[sashamae]

Well, it is December 12th and I can still post here and I am not paying for it so . . . yay me!?!?!

If you have to pay for this site it is just one more way for them to kill it off. Several of the changes that have been made here have helped to kill it off over the last couple of years. Maybe they are just trying to get rid of all of their support.

(Oh yeah, I wouldn't pay for this. We already dropped our subscription to the star because I felt like we were being nickled and dimed to death with a new higher rate every little bit. But I did learn that I can buy the Sunday paper at the DollarTree on Monday for $1! I can wait a day now since the only part of the paper that I ever looked at was the inserts!)

[mygr8crew]

I wasn't thinking this site was part of the "paid" part of the Star's website, but I could be mistaken.

While I read the paper almost daily, I am not a subscriber-I buy it at Quiktrip on my way to work. I think that is the frustrating part, I still pay for the paper, just not in subscription form.

I will not worry about it-I will ride along until I am told otherwise.

[JoLynne]

Kady, that's a good question. Will Mom2mom be behind the new pay wall when the transition is complete.

And even if it is not, the Star still uses content from this site in it's print publication and to market the paper.

Historically, women have had a tendency to underrate the value of their work (including contributing copy to this site) and have given too much away for free. There is value to what we write, gals.

[mighty]

If the Star starts charging for their content, including the Mom2Mom portion, I'm going to:

* miss my best access to local news

* not miss the trolls in the comment sections of many stories, editorials, letters to the editor, etc. They can be hateful and moronic.

* miss the Mom2Mom people and blogs. For the most part, they've been kind, helpful and informative... everything I'd expect from the good people of KC waaaahh!

Thank you to all the M2M people!

[battlefieldmomma]

I'm going to side with The Star on this one. Print is dying a slow death, and I find it hard to watch. Years ago, I sat with a panel to discuss what readers would like to see in The Star. Some changes were made, but some were not. IMHO, The Star is doing what other papers are doing & trying to stay alive. Is it the right way to go? Following the pack may or may not be a lifesaver. Personally, I think The Star should be a little more creative in its efforts to keep chugging, but, then again, I'm no newspaper executive.

As for free content, sure, The Star prints Mom2Mom poll results, but they don't print other things that we post on this board. I'm sorry, but I really don't see what we post as enough of a contribution to get free stuff. Especially since The Star doesn't dictate when & how much we should post - ie, is 1 monthly post enough of a contribution? How about 10 or 20? What if the "contribution" is a one liner? Is that really content?

Free/paid access is not a new thing. Many newspapers limit access to non-paying customers. Magazines do the same thing.

A subscription to The Star can be as little as S12/mo. That is less than 3 Starbucks.