Is offering free content a sustainable business model for a publisher?

I found myself in a small office in Notting Hill on Thursday, discussing the merits of offering free content as a publisher…

Its a discussion I’ve had several times before, and it is an important one for every publisher. In my case, I was discussing the issue with a very talented venture capitalist and her clients. I had the same debate a couple of hours earlier, with a similarly talented team of corporate financiers! In the latter case, they completely “got” why tutor2u provides a substantial range of free content; the venture capitalist is, I think, less convinced!

This recent article was sent to me via Twitter this morning and it makes for an interesting and insightful read. The free content conundrum is one that faces all media businesses - but particularly those that built their traiditonal business model on subscription. They all face the same question - how can consumers be prepared to pay for something that they can easily get for free? Content of all sorts - information, data, opinions - is available for free. Unfortunately, advertising budgets are being cut, so switching to an alternative revenue model is tough.

Who would be a publisher?!