News startup expects 10 pct of Web readers to pay

(AP) -- A startup planning to sell news online thinks newspaper and magazines will be able to get money from about 10 percent of their Internet readers.

Journalism Online made the projection Wednesday in a meeting with reporters.

The venture, expected to debut later this year, is trying to help struggling newspapers and magazines generate more revenue by selling packages of online content from a variety of publishers that it hopes to sign up.

Persuading Web surfers to pay for news is expected to be difficult because most newspapers and magazines have been giving away their online content since the 1990s. Other industry studies have assumed just 1 percent to 2 percent of people who visit newspaper Web sites are willing to pay for stories.

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