Paid Content - A Dying Business Model?

Michael Arrington in his boycott of Associated Press seemed to suggest that paid content is a dying business model. I must admit I am not a huge fan of linking to articles from Associated Press, simply because it is extremely difficult to determine the original source when these stories "go over the wire". A great example of the reasons why is when I reported about the appropriated story last year from the Museum of Hoaxes - that was Associated Free Press to blame, a different organization. Readers might also remember my run-in with The Guardian where I was a major source for an article, but didn't receive a link. The author and editor of The Guardian explained their viewpoint in the comments, but it still wrankles a little. That being said, there is a huge amount of PROFIT being made online in the form of online membership sites which is a paid content business model. Highly successful examples include:-