Poynter.org
Rick Edmonds gets the potential appeal of the $6.99/month site, which is backed by $12 million in startup capital from the New York Times, Washington Post and Gannett.
The value is twofold. Stories are displayed in a readable format and without advertising. Given the clutter and high irritation factor of sites crowded with ads that drop down and move across the page, the reading experience is distinctly more pleasant.
Then there is the selection. Ongo’s content is determined by a combination of algorithm and a small cadre of editors. Readers get a sampling of a half-dozen or more quality sources without the labor of hunting through individual sites.
