“Wearegoingtotestitlaterthi
syear,”saidBreakCEOKeithRichman.“We＂retryingtofigureoutwhatisthepremiummodelthatpeoplewillaccept.”
YouTubeandotherssteerawayfromfees,whichhasprovedtobeabiggambleinanonlineworldwheresomuchcontentisfree.Evenmediacompanieshaveshiedawayfromfees.ESPNandMajorLeagueBaseballhaveattractedloyalpaidsubscribersonline,buttheyareexceptions.CBSchargedforitsonlineairingoftheNCAAnationalmen＂sbasketballtournamentforacoupleyears,butlastyearwenttoafor-freemodel.
Tocharge,Breakmustcomeupwithcontentthatisoriginalandcompelling.That＂llbetough.“Asarule,gettingpaidforsubscriptionservicesishardbecausepeoplealreadyconsiderthatthey＂repayingfortheirbroadbandInternet,”saidPhilLeigh,presidentofInsideDigitalMedia.“Idon＂tthinkconsumershaveanappetiteformorethanahalf-dozen”paidonlineservicesatthemost.
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