以媒介使用結構模式探討新聞付費訂閱制讀者使用動機及付費意願

Abstract

2011年美國紐約時報（New York Times）全面採取新聞付費牆（paywall），如同過去的訂閱報紙一樣，只是讀者須透過網路金流系統付費後，取得完整內容的瀏覽權，在紙本發行量與數位廣告營收雙重下滑，內容付費訂閱制成為媒體開闢新營收的選擇。根據財團法人台灣網路資訊中心（2022）調查，網路是民眾最常用來獲取資訊的媒介，但過去一年曾付費訂閱過網路新聞的臺灣讀者僅佔1.42%，因此為了解臺灣讀者，對新聞付費制的使用動機及付費意願（willing to pay，WTP），本研究以媒介使用結構及媒體互動性論點切入，透過網路問卷調查法及焦點團體訪談法，調查付費訂閱過新聞媒體的讀者，探討驅動閱聽人為新聞付費的原因。問卷結果指出，內容專業化與獨特性是讀者願意為新聞付費訂閱的必要條件，訪談後也發現，讀者基於明確的動機需求，如考試或工作所需以致強化了付費意願，一旦目的完成或使用動機不再，付費意願將明顯削弱；反之，缺乏明確動機的驅動，使用者須累積一定程度的付費意願，藉由新聞付費牆的阻攔與優惠折扣誘因後，才會引發讀者的付費訂閱行為。本研究認為，閱聽人在新聞付費訂閱制的使用動機與付費意願上，受到社會結構與大眾媒體的作用影響，儘管受訪者認同內容有價觀念，卻也認為臺灣新聞媒體的產品定價不符合預期，加上自媒體或串流影音平台排擠注意力及預算，導致讀者缺少明確的使用目的下，不足以產生付費訂閱的動機，使優惠折扣成為閱聽人在付費訂閱時的顯著誘因。In 2011, The New York Times implemented a paywall system, like the traditional subscription model in print newspapers. Readers must use online payment systems to gain access to the content. News media faced the challenges of declining prints circulation and digital advertising revenue, the digital content paywall subscriptions become as another strategy to earn alternative revenue for the contemporary media industry.Internet was become the popular medium for search information, but lots of reader use social media and platform to receive the newest information instead of news media website and application. According to a 2022 data survey by the Taiwan Network Information Center, only 1.42% Taiwanese readers paid the news media subscription services within the past year.To understand what the Taiwanese audience will base on motivations and willingness to pay (WTP) for news subscription, this study uses the structure of media use and media interactivity theoretical framework, to investigate the already subscribed reader what they have purchase motivations for news media via online survey study method and focus group interviews.According to research findings, user have strong and exact motivations to guide them subscription news media, but they will cancel the subscription or weaken WTP when they completed the target in the same time. Compared to the absence of subscription motivations, users need variety of reasons to enhance their WTP before like good media brand reputation, additional gift, interesting article, and then it will boost readers significant motivations to subscribe news media when news paywalls have discount or disturb their read experience extremely.However, if Taiwan news media will conduct the news paywall model, it is important to realize the reader's WTP based on society influences and mass media environment in Taiwan. Even though the majority of audience acknowledging the value of digital content, the challenge with news media have crisis of attention and budget for self-media or streaming video platforms. Additionally, Taiwan news media need more efforts to communicate potential readers what is the difference of content versus free digital news media. In the other words, discount incentive is still significant role to appeal to the Taiwanese readers paying for news media.