googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.co ...

<<Last week, a group of newspaper and magazine publishers signed a declaration stating that "Universal access to websites does not necessarily mean access at no cost," and that they "no longer wish to be forced to give away property without having granted permission."

We agree, and that's how things stand today. The truth is that news publishers, like all other content owners, are in complete control when it comes not only to what content they make available on the web, but also who can access it and at what price ...>>

Here's what really matter IMO:

Google, on July 15
<<Some proposals we've seen from news publishers are well-intentioned, but would fundamentally change – for the worse – the way the web works>>

Financial Times editor Lionel Barber, July 16
<<I confidently predict that within the next 12 months, almost all news organisations will be charging for content>>
guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/ ...

charging for content =

= fewer readers
= fewer (if any) links from other sites
= less feedback
= less traffic from search engines
= the articles are more difficult to find