Worcester Telegram Begins Charging For Some Online Content

Starting Monday, some content from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette will no longer be free.

The paper will start charging readers for previously free content like local sports and politics — although wire stories will remain available to users at no cost.

The paper is the fourth-largest in the state. Its parent company, the New York Times Company, is also the parent company of the Boston Globe.

Dan Kennedy, a professor of journalism at Northeastern University, said the move could increase subscriptions to the paper.

"There may be some number of subscribers out there who have been reading the entire paper for free online or who have been considering doing it," Kennedy said. "And this will either keep them subscribing or may even drive them back to subscribing to that print edition."

But Kennedy doesn't think the move will help the paper's website — and that's where it should be focusing its attention.

"I think what newspapers need to do is to first of all figure out better ways of selling advertising for their website," Kennedy said.

Kennedy said usually make about 80 percent of their revenues from advertising.

Users will still be able to read 10 local stories a month before having to pay a fee.