Augusta's Paper Finds Paywall Success

For many newspaper bosses, the introduction of an online paywall is intimidating. “How,” they wonder, “will we convince readers to pay for content they currently enjoy for free?” But for Alan English, executive editor of the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle, explaining his paper’s recent decision to charge for some digital material isn’t scary at all.

“It’s an easy conversation with the reader,” English said. “‘Would you buy your favorite reporter a cup of coffee for all the work they do for you in a month?’”

Indeed, Chronicle.Augusta.com’s monthly rate of $6.95 -- $2.95 for print subscribers -- is no higher than some baristas’ concoctions. And, according to English, plenty of readers buy his argument -- and Web site subscriptions.

“We’re happy to report that it doesn’t appear -- so far -- that our metered subscription is arresting growth,” English said.

The Chronicle editor added that Web site page views actually have increased since the paper began charging last December, though he noted it is too early to know the extent of the paywall’s impact. He did not discuss precise traffic and subscription figures.

English oversees a publication that has long been the dominant news provider in its market. At 225 years old, the Chronicle is the South’s oldest newspaper.

But, lately, it has been getting younger.

“Last year, we didn’t have any mobile products and now we have four or five or six,” English said. “Mobile and digital strategy leads our thinking. … We’re adding pieces every week.”

In that regard, the Chronicle is ahead of its competitors in a city that is neither affluent nor tech savvy. According to Borrell Associates, the median household income in the Augusta market is $43,127. Less than two-thirds of area residents have broadband Internet connections at home; 28% have no home Internet access at all.

Augusta advertisers trail the national average in digital marketing, spending $7 offline for every dollar they spend online.

Still, outlets besides the Chronicle are working to expand their new media repertoires. WJBF.com, the Web site of the local ABC affiliate, is exploring a mobile-optimized site and applications for smartphones, its director of digital journalism and content, Scott Elledge, said.

“We’re trying to provide content on multiple platforms,” Elledge explained. “We want to continue the news flow, and do it online first. We are giving it away [for free], but reaching people first is important.”

The station has hired an online content producer, Elledge said, and pushed reporters to post story updates from the field.

Reporter Jillian Benfield’s coverage of a June 8 shooting at a local apartment complex typified WJBF.com’s vision: The first post was just two sentences long and stated only that police had responded to a deadly shooting at the complex. A prompt follow-up added that the death had been ruled a homicide. Three hours later, Benfield reported the victim’s identity. Finally, another two hours later, she reported the suspect’s name and that he was in custody.

Instead of waiting until air time to deliver details of the crime, the station kept its viewers and readers up-to-date online.

Increasingly, according to Elledge, WJBF.com produces original content that doesn’t appear on the station itself. This spring, for instance, the site featured video of commencement ceremonies at 21 area high schools -- footage that wouldn’t fit into a traditional telecast but would be appreciated by graduates’ family members. Elledge pointed out that many students in WJBF’s coverage area have parents deployed overseas with the armed forces.

Even as some Augusta outfits experiment with the Web, others pay little attention to it. The Web site of The Metro Spirit, for example, which bills itself as “Augusta’s Independent Voice,” is virtually static. It includes some basic information about the weekly, alternative newspaper but is devoid of stories.

A richer version of TheMetroSpirit.com could be a big draw in Augusta, indicated Matt Bosisio, a communications professor who teaches journalism at Augusta State University. Bosisio named The Metro Spirit as one of the most influential news outlets in the market.

But Joe White, the paper’s owner and publisher, explained that he ended the posting of articles at TheMetroSpirit.com in an effort to protect his print product, which is free and funded by advertising revenue alone. White said he plans to restore stories to the site in the future, but will not develop it extensively.

“I’m not looking to monetize the Web,” White said.

White’s disinterest seems anomalous in an era when most outlets have made monetizing the Web a priority, but his attitude may reflect a knowledge of his market more than a disdain for technology. Asked if Augusta’s fairly barren digital landscape presents an opportunity for ambitious publications, Bosisio offered a direct, negative answer.

“No,” he said. “Only because Augusta is not a strong media market for advertising.”

One bit of evidence to support Bosisio’s claim is the absence of Patch.com sites in the Augusta area. AOL has planted 42 of the hyperlocal Web sites in Georgia, but not one of the communities it selected is within two hours’ drive of Augusta.