Global consumers want free online content to remain free

However, when asked to focus on specific types of content, survey participants are more willing to at least consider paying for particular categories, especially if they have done so before, said Nielsen.

More than three out of every four survey participants (78%) believe if they already subscribe to a newspaper, magazine, radio or television service they should be able to use its online content for free.

At the same time, 71% of global consumers say online content of any kind will have to be considerably better than what is currently free before they will pay for it.

One finding that could spell bad news for Rupert Murdoch’s plans to start charging for access to sites such as the Sun and Times is that nearly eight out of every ten (79%) consumers would no longer use a website that charges them, presuming they can find the same information at no cost.

A recent Harris Interactive poll found that three-quarters of US online adults (77%) would not be willing to pay to read a newspaper online.

Although some said they would pay, one in five online adults (19%) would only pay between $1 and $10 a month for this online content and only 5% would pay more than $10 a month.

Elsewhere, a survey of 500 online readers of newspapers and magazines, carried out by Continental Research, found that only 5% would be prepared to pay a monthly or yearly subscription.

The survey revealed that while a large majority (63%) said they simply would not pay to read their favourite articles online, micropayments and not subscriptions were the most popular payment mechanism.