--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question I ask myself is what would…" description: "\"The question I ask myself is what would have happened if newspapers hadn't initially given their content away for free on the Internet. It's so hard to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0a/tom-rachman-8194_accustomed_the-question-i-ask-myself-is-what-would_706873.png" --- # The question I ask myself is what would have happened if… ![“The question I ask myself is what would have happened if newspapers hadn't initially given their content away for free on the Internet. It's so hard to get people to pay once they are accustomed to having something for free.” quote by Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0a/tom-rachman-8194_accustomed_the-question-i-ask-myself-is-what-would_706873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0a/tom-rachman-8194_accustomed_the-question-i-ask-myself-is-what-would_706873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0a/tom-rachman-8194_accustomed_the-question-i-ask-myself-is-what-would_706873.png) > “The question I ask myself is what would have happened if newspapers hadn't initially given their content away for free on the Internet. It's so hard to get people to pay once they are accustomed to having something for free.” [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free online content erodes willingness to pay, making monetization hard. **In simple terms:** Free content reduces willingness to pay. Key Takeaway Find sustainable revenue models. Themes media economics value consumer behavior Mood concerned analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - online journalism - subscription services - advertising models - paywalls Key Concepts digital disruption price perception content monetization Questions to Reflect On - How can media balance free access with revenue? - What incentives encourage paying for content? A Different Perspective Free content may also attract larger audiences and brand loyalty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I went to college during the Kazaa/Napster era, and we had free Internet, which was a huge deal. People were just downloading all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/i-went-to-college-during-the-kazaa-napster-era-and-we-had-free/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [Music, photography, media, film - it's all going to be free on the Internet. 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