Newspaper to Begin Charging for Online Access

A South Texas newspaper says it will begin charging for access to its Web site this week, warning that the days of giving content away for free are over.

The Valley Morning Star announced in its online edition Monday that Web site access would remain free for subscribers who receive the print edition seven days a week. But weekend subscribers and non-subscribers will have to pay a 75-cent daily subscription fee for the Web site. Monthly rates will also be available.

The Star is owned by Freedom Communications. The Star's publisher Tyler Patton said his paper would be the first of Freedom's newspapers to charge, but not the last.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.