Punch Website At It Again

sooo,

Over the years, I have narrowed down the Nigerian online paper sites that I visit daily from over 30 to 8, based on content, frequency of updates, etc.  Punch has always been one of the 8, even after they went offline for a while due to a hack attack.  About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I noticed that you now have to register/pay to read an article. As a result, I have stopped visiting their site.

Limiting certain articles to registered/paying members, only (and they used to do that in the past) is totally acceptable.  Making everything available to only registered members in my opinion is preposterous.  I mean, can't they take a leaf from other papers worldwide?  I understand the need to make money.  I am a capitalist to the core but again, is that what other, perhaps better online papers are doing?

Though they may not care, they have lost 1 (hitherto) faithful (for the past 4 years) visitor.

Oya, letz debate.  It is a good idea to have every single article available only to registered members?

Pretty funny there nitation.  I was like you too - I would still visit and click a few links at random, believing within me that it would all go away

I also forgot to mention up top that even if I were interested in paying, what if I don't have a naija-compatible card?  Also, when they say my phone number is my registration number, do they accept international numbers and if so, how do they validate for those?

As nitation has said, I think it will probably go down as one of the biggest internet blunders, as far as Nigeria is concerned.  The problem though is that I will probably never visit their site again till some time next year to see if they will remove this tacky feature.

very sensible post, abhosts.  Your 2nd paragraph - well put.

I firmly believe in the "give them everything and only charge for extras" feature of the net - Offer all your services for free and make money via advertising and/or limiting juicy stories to paying customers.  That is the way to make money online and not by going against what even online papers better than they are, are doing.

With over 30 online papers in Nigeria (granted some are more crappy than others, but I digress ), why would/should I get a heart attack cos 1 has decided to make news off limits?  I will simply update my bookmarks and move on.  It's that simple.

I'm surprised that they decided to go down that route. I have a post on my website on the situation.

Time will tell if the strategy will work. I now use 234next and Allafrica for my news.

In Nigeria? I dont think so.


It didnt even bother me when i noticed it, because there are many.

This should work

 http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=online+newspapers+in+nigeria&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Interesting talk.

Now, no one expects that statement to Come from an Atheist. 

- nitation*

nut case  

Why do they implement such policy, their main source of revenue is advert, so why do their onlie readers pay to have access to articles where there are thousands quality articles on the internet for free on thousands site.

This is a wrong move by punch. I hope they make amends before they loose their traffic to competing newspapers.

@ Seun, I hope its not an antic for a BIGGER TOPIC/POST of the YEAR "SEUN now born Again"

@ Topic : Punch advert antics is a BIGGER BLUNDER for the moment.

Bloggers are doing better than they are, no buy back etc,

SAHARA Reporter or Nigeriavillagesquare.com as a good example .

Also, all it takes is one person becoming a member and posting content on his/her blog

Come to think of it, maybe they are sick and tired of their traffic so they intend reducing it. hahaha

- nitation

 ;d ;d ;d ;d