The Erie Times-News has launched a new twist on the unethical practice of what has come to be known as "pocketbook journalism" with a long-delayed return to public comment on its online local news content which requires readers who wish to comment to pay $3 per month to the Times-News for the "privilege."
Appended to an article today boasting that Gannon University has joined its all-out campaign in support of County Executive Barry Grossman's misguided and controversial proposal for an Erie County community college, is a an advertisement urging readers of its online edition known as GoErie.com to shell out $2.99 (plus sales tax) for the "opportunity" to comment on selected local news stories. It apparently does not apply to editorials and non-local articles or columns.Here's the complete text of the advertisement:
Thank you for your interest in this article. You can join the conversation about this topic by becoming a member of GoErie.com Insider for $2.99 per month. That's less than 10 cents a day!
Your membership includes writing and reading comments on latest local stories like this one you just read. You will also be able to opt-in for new membership features as they become available.
Sign up below using Press+, an online subscription service for news websites.
Thank you for your interest in this article. You can join the conversation about this topic by becoming a member of GoErie.com Insider for $2.99 per month. That's less than 10 cents a day!
Your membership includes writing and reading comments on latest local stories like this one you just read. You will also be able to opt-in for new membership features as they become available.
Sign up below using Press+, an online subscription service for news websites.
The Times-News is the only newspaper in the country which has adopted this spurious practice, underlining its negative contribution to legitimate journalism in the United States, indeed the world.
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