Backstage and Sonicbids serve separate parts of the entertainment world, but they have similar business models, offering users some access free and charging subscriptions for more extensive features.
The quid pro quo in which authors and reviewers worked for free while publishers took care of the technical side of production and distribution, and covered their costs by charging subscriptions, worked well – or well enough – for all that time.
Chesterman said last month that talk of a housing bubble was misplaced and that investors saw the long-term potential for a cash-generative business that provides consumers with a wealth of property data while charging subscriptions to estate agents.
The Financial Times is almost unique in the English-speaking digital news business in funding its digital operations in a rather Japanese way, by charging subscriptions rather than relying on advertising.
The company currently recruits specialists from various categories to star in the clips, but Mr. Hidary said he might expand the service in the future to allow anyone to upload videos or audio files and start charging subscriptions or fees for individual downloads.
Traditionally, journal publishing pays for itself by charging subscriptions for its journals.
