Some Lee Papers Adopt Metered Model, Even For Print Subscribers

For about the cost of “a trip to Starbucks,” six Lee Enterprises newspapers in Montana and Wyoming are adopting a metered pay model on their websites.

Starting August 1, even print subscribers will have to pay a small charge to read above a certain number of articles online -- but they do get a discount. The participating Lee newspapers are the Missoulian, Ravalli Republic, Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, Montana Standard and Casper Star Tribune. The paywalls are run by RR Donnelly’s Press+ service. Press+ comes from Journalism Online, the company founded by Steve Brill, Gordon Crovitz and Leo Hindery, Jr. was acquired by Donnelly earlier this year.