Charging-for-Content

Right now there is an on-going debate over whether to start charging internet users a fee to visit certain web-sites. Well, the providers of the content should tread carefully, and should not make the mistake of the music industry. In the early 90s I lived in England, and I used to buy Cd's for exorbitant sums, 11-99(Pounds Sterling) for an ordinary CD - and this was in the early 90s. Sometimes, the record companies would tag a hot-selling CD as an "import" and then jack up the price even higher. I specifically recollect trudging down Oxford Street in London to HMV and spending 17-99(Pounds Sterling) for Snoop Doggy Dog's first album - then tagged as an "import".

Well, I eventually got even with those music industry bastards. Since file-sharing became popular, I've downloaded - for free - all the music that I could lay my hands on. Now, the only time that I pay for albums is if it's an obscure African release, and then I have to order it from Stern Music's website. Those who will attempt to "monetize" their viewership should take notes from the music industry and not try to gouge the customers. As the saying goes, "the customer is always right", and customers will find a way to get all the content that they need for free, if they feel that they're being gouged at the counter.