UK less likely to pay for online content

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

The future of academic publishing

These are the most uncertain times in living memory for academic publishing. After decades of bumpin...

Books with soundtracks: no, really, this one works…

Books with soundtracks. The idea is so glaringly obvious, and so obviously feeble, that I hesitate t...

Criminalising squatting: Is it worth it?

Squatters haven’t received the most glowing press over the past year. Various cases of displaced pro...

Would you be willing to profit from selling Nazi surgical equipment?

Imagine for a moment that, for whatever reason, you find yourself to be in possession of a case of m...

Suggested Topics

UK consumers are less willing to pay for online content than web users in other countries, according to new research. It spells bad news for publishers looking to boost revenues from the internet.

Accountancy giant KPMG has released a report into consumer behaviour online, which found that 81 per cent of UK web users would go elsewhere for content if a frequently used free site began charging.

Tudor Aw, head of technology at KPMG Europe LLP, said: "UK consumers still haven't come around to the idea of paying for digital content and are clear that they will move to other sites if paywalls are put up." Globally, 43 per cent of consumers are willing to pay to access frequently used content. In the Asia-Pacific region that figure increases to 59 per cent.

This will be troubling news for News International, which has put the wesbites of its UK newspapers The Times and The Sunday Times behind a paywall. According to recent figures compiled by the media website Beehive City, just 15,000 have agreed to pay for access to the website with a further 12,500 paid subscribers on the iPad.

Three-quarters of those in the UK would be willing to receive online advertising in exchange for lower content costs, KPMG's survey found. Of those questioned, 48 per cent would allos information from their profiles on social networks such as Facebook to be tracked online if it resulted in lower costs.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus

Day In a Page

The data goldmine: Why forgetting to log out can cost you dearly

Data goldmine: Have you forgotten to log out?

David Crookes finds out how much stolen Twitter accounts, hacked eBay pages and more are really worth.
The 10 best free games

The 10 best free games

From The Secret of Grisly Manor to Words With Friends...
Fear and loathing in London: The Death of Klinghoffer is staged in the capital for the first time

Fear and loathing in London: The Death of Klinghoffer

The ENO is staging the controversial opera in the capital for the first time
'Today, Rita could have signed up to Open University on Facebook'

'Rita could have signed up to Open University on Facebook'

The OU's famous fictional student wouldn't recognise the video-conferencing, social networking, flexible insitution it's grown into.
Kenya's coffee wars

Kenya's coffee wars

The boom in high-grade beans should be bringing rural Africa riches. Instead, it is fuelling a lethal crimewave
Billions of tons of water lost from world's glaciers, satellite reveals

Climate change

Billions of tons of water lost from world's glaciers, satellite reveals
Out of fashion: Designers finding new ways to sell their style

Out of fashion

Designers finding new ways to sell their style
James Lawton: Sadness and anger over the ultimate betrayal

James Lawton on Capello resignation

Sadness and anger over the ultimate betrayal
Tale of the trial: Laughter, anger... and bulldogs

Tale of the trial: Laughter, anger... and bulldogs

Redknapp's trial was the most remarkable and colourful case the modern game has seen. Sam Wallace, who was there for all 13 days, recounts the defining moments
Rhys Priestland: Praise for North star

Rhys Priestland: Praise for North star

The Wales No 10 may not be getting his kicks but he's not concerned... he plays with George North
Yayoi Kusama brings colour to Tate Modern

Colourful Yayoi Kusama

Japanese artist's retrospective at Tate Modern.
Church debate: Who'd be a bishop?

Church debate: Who'd be a bishop?

The General Synod debates women bishops again today. While they make up their minds, John Walsh weighs the palaces and puce robes against the political powerlessness
A tale of two cities: Portsmouth and London say happy birthday to Dickens

A tale of two cities

Portsmouth and London say happy birthday to Dickens
Pitch battle! Football league in Argentina renamed in honour of 'General Belgrano'

Pitch battle in Argentina!

Football league renamed in honour of 'General Belgrano'
Altar of Bones: A literary sensation – but who dunnit?

A literary sensation – but who dunnit?

The books world mulls over the identity of an acclaimed new author, but what drives writers to hide behind a nom de plume?