Following up on my previous post about what kind of news I would pay for, I thought I would conduct a quick case study on myself. I went to heraldsun.com, the Web site for my hometown newspaper in Durham, N.C. (where I spent most of my career as a journalist, by the way). I’ve lived in this area for almost 20 years, so I’m almost as good as a native. I checked out their Durham news feed to see which of the stories I could see myself paying for (note: NOT just interested in reading, but so interested that I would pay) just based on the headline and the descriptions.

Here’s a screencap of the feed when I did this. Click it for a larger view. I’ve copied the text, with my comments on each item in red, below.

• Civil rights advocate remembered in art — Fluff about dead guy. Pass.
• School of the Arts wins national honors
  DURHAM — Durham School of the Arts has been recognized by the Magnet Schools of America for excellence in instructional programs.
  I don’t have any affiliation with the school. Pass.
• Durham Tech, NCCU in joint venture
• DURHAM — Durham Technical Community College is offering another associate-to-bachelor’s degree track for students with N.C. Central University — this time, in the hospitality and tourism industry.
  Good for them. Pass.
• Convention Center name official — soon
  DURHAM — The Durham Civic Center will be officially renamed the Durham Convention Center at a 12:10 p.m. Tuesday ceremony at the 201 Foster St. facility.
  Is there anything more exciting than a naming ceremony? Besides, the nutgraf just told me the whole story. Pass.
• LOCAL BRIEFS –  at one glance, nothing of interest to me. Pass.
  • Telemundo TV now in Durham
  • People’s Alliance panel to meet
  • Globalization talk scheduled
  • Bunnies in need of good homes
• Officials seek local-option sales tax
  DURHAM — Area legislators have once again asked the General Assembly to give Triangle governments the same authority officials in Charlotte have to finance transit construction with a referendum-approved, local-option sales tax.
  I should care, but the apathetic citizen in me wins out. When they actually get down to talking about a sales tax, maybe I’ll pay to read. For now, pass.
• Panel backs UNC system tuition hikes
  CHAPEL HILL — A UNC Board of Governors committee has unanimously recommended tuition increases among state universities that average 3.7 percent.
  As an UNC alum and employee, this IS of interest to me, but probably not enough to pay for the whole story after the hed and nutgraf have told me the news. Pass.
• Police chaplain service may expand to corps
• DURHAM — Offering an ear and spiritual guidance. It’s what retired Durham police Capt. Phil Wiggins has done for the past 25 years as chaplain to the Durham Police Department.
  If the guy’s name was Wiggum instead of Wiggins, I might pay. Pass.
• Durham Tech chief targets at-risk youth
  DURHAM — At Thursday’s Durham Public Schools Board of Education meeting, Durham Technical Community College officials updated the board on the school’s strategic plan.
  A story about a progress report meeting. Snooze. And pass.
• Fire hits Woodcroft homes
  DURHAM — Fire heavily damaged two homes at a condominium complex in the Woodcroft area on Thursday and displaced the residents, fire officials reported.
  Of all the stories on here, this one might actually be the one I would most likely pay for, since I used to live in Woodcroft. But my interest is mainly curiosity about where the house that burned was located. If I actually have to pay, I’m not sure my curiosity is enough to make me open my wallet.
  
• Firefighters battle Bahama blaze
  DURHAM — Fast action by Bahama volunteer firefighters prevented a house from going up in flames Thursday as strong winds and dry conditions stoked a woods fire in the northern Durham County.
  Hooray for our firefighters. Pass.
• CRIME LOG –  I can count on two hands the number of police blotters I’ve read in my life. Pass.
• All 100 N.C. counties now abnormally dry or in drought
  RALEIGH — For the first time since August, all 100 North Carolina counties are experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to a U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday.
  Great. Drought again. Just like last year. My poor lawn. Pass.
• UNC beats Duke 101-87
• DURHAM — The visitors’ locker room at Cameron Indoor Stadium rarely is a joyful place, but for the fourth year in a row, North Carolina made itself at home.
  Go Heels!!! Of course I care about this game. Cared about it so much that I watched it live on TV the night before. Read the game story? Sure. Pay to read it? Pass.
• ‘Awesome’: Revelry on Franklin St.
  CHAPEL HILL AND DURHAM — Like a tidal wave, Carolina fans burst out of bars and dormitories Wednesday night and ran downtown to celebrate the Tar Heel’s 101-87 victory over the Duke Blue Devils.
  Wow, just like what happens every other time we beat Duke. I know what the scene looks like, because I’ve been there. Pass.
• DOT eager for stimulus dollars
  DURHAM — N.C. Department of Transportation engineers say the federal economic-stimulus bill will allow their agency to resume a lot of the construction work that’s been on hold since state revenues tanked late last year.
  Eager for stimulus dollars? Aren’t we all? Pass.
• NAACP looks to 101 as it turns 100
  DURHAM — On the eve of the NAACP’s 100th birthday, the Rev. William J. Barber was more focused on the challenges ahead than the organization’s many past victories on the civil rights front.
  NAACP turning 100. Ok, that was the news. Why would I pay to read the rest now? Pass.
• Region officials OK $8.1B 27-year transit plan
  DURHAM — Officials from Durham and Orange counties on Wednesday ratified a plan that calls for building $8.1 billion in highway and transit improvements in the western Triangle over the next 27 years.
  Until what they are building starts operating, not too much interest. Pass.
• Police provide details on Guess Road incident
  DURHAM — A Durham woman who was hit by a car as she tried to cross Guess Road remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Duke Hospital on Wednesday.
  Woman hit by car, Guess Road, critical condition. I don’t live near that area, so pass.
• CRIME LOG
  • Police probing several crimes –  And activity was participated in by some. Pass.
  • Silver Alert for Durham man –  Read it to see who is missing and what he looks like? Maybe. Pay to read it? No thanks. Pass.
• DURHAM BRIEFS –  Pass.
  • Urban Ministries chairman named
  • APS benefit dinner slated
  • Habitat youth group to meet
  • Drum classes set for kids
  • Luebke, Michaux PAC 3 speakers
  • Price sets three local meetings
• $30M-plus streetscape ‘wish list’ takes shape
  DURHAM — Local officials on Wednesday took the first step in a bid to land state and federal subsidies for a $30 million-plus “streetscape” renovation in the Fayetteville Street corridor near N.C. Central University.
  Curious to see if there’s a artist’s rendering of the concept. But not enough to pay. It’s probably online at the project’s site anyway. Pass.
• Krzyzewskiville camper diagnosed with meningitis
  DURHAM — An unidentified first-year Duke University student who had been camping out in Krzyzewskiville in preparation for Wednesday’s Duke-UNC game was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis on Tuesday.
  Ha ha. Take that Dookies. Pass.
• Recreation facility at Parkwood in trouble
  DURHAM — A city plan to open a recreational facility at Parkwood shopping center is on life support. Once-promising purchase negotiations with the shopping center’s owner, former Durham mayor Jim Hawkins, are now frozen; Hawkins’ broker, Sandy Allen of Anthony & Co., is seeking another buyer for the property. Allen is also looking for tenants for the 24,000-square-foot retail building, which is just half-full.
  So something that’s not there right now may not be there. I don’t live near Parkwood, so pass.
• CAMPUS BRIEFS – If I pay, I want something more substantial than briefs. Pass.
  • ‘JAG’ producer joins faculty
  • Pulitzer Prize author to speak
  • ‘Continuous City’ set next week
  • Mobile CARE nominees sought
  • ‘Little Grand Canyon’ topic

Wow, not a very promising analysis for what I would want to pay to read. Are some of the items things that might interest me? Yes. Would some of these things be good to know about? Sure. Would my life stop if I wasn’t aware of them? Hardly. Therein lies the problem. Maybe that’s why I don’t think micropayment works. For me at least, most articles do not have the interest level to compell me to purchase them individually. Bundle them all together in one offering, however, and I think I could be pursuaded to shell some currency for it.