Why Free Devalues Print

I’m sat on the 521 bus, making my way home, and next to me is a pile of abandoned freesheets that could conceivably constitute a fire hazard. And I can’t help wondering if they’re doing more damage than just stealing sales from paid newspapers.

Papers have always been a disposable medium – that’s part of the appeal. But the commuter freesheets are taking that concept to an extreme, creating a product that’s grabbed thoughtlessly and chucked away just as easily. That’s devaluing the work of journalists far more than any free-to-air website…