When we first started a paid subscription information service online at Arts Hub, everyone, including those who professed to be online business experts, told us we were mad. Since then the rest of the world has moved decisively to a recognition that paid content is legitimate, and real, opportunity.

Now the Association of Online Publishers, albeit a biased body, has released new research showing the trend will continue:

“The study found that 58 per cent of organisations currently charge for online content. Of those that do not, about half plan to charge in the next 12 months, which will bring the proportion of those charging to 82 per cent.”

I wish the naysayers were around for us to say ‘told you so’. But they’re all out of business. Clearly they took their own advice.