Obviously, something needs to change. While print media flounders around, attempting to become profitable online, and TV and Radio continue being devoured by new technology, the internet surfing populace has become accostomed to content for free. Reactions to this trend have ranged from quiet acceptance to doomsday cries as the NYT stock falls five years in a row. But in the end, premium news reporting cannot disappear. Smaller local papers will be unable to survive as local news will be delivered from the locals themselves free of charge through fast growing social media. And several large media companies will disappear as well.
But the media should never be subsidized by the government. Instead, as many have suggested and several have tried, micropayments seem to be the only logical future. Sure people hate paying for content, but especially with the rise of the apple application store, people have begun to grow accustomed to paying $0.99 for a small game, or $1.99 for useful tool. How long before it seems only natural to pay $.25 for a suite of news stories on the latest smartphone? It will happen, it is only a matter of time.