There's certainly a one-time cost in gathering and validating facts (though I'd be surprised if much time at all was spent validating these days).  But as facts can't be protected as intellectual property, they will inevitably be repeated, bringing the ultimate cost to consumers down to the cost of distribution.  Which, today, is pretty close to $0.<p>Also, increasingly, facts are self-reported by the audience.  Who needs an international bureau when they can simply search for native sources? (e.g. Where does the average reader get their facts regarding the Iranian protests?)  Events involving widespread infrastructure failure (Haiti) are an exception.<p>... You want a citation for it being easier to moderate paying subscribers vs anonymous posts?