> It's the most disingenuous argument

No, it's not. I actually used to write for a newspaper before. These days, they are shoestring operations locked in a constant battle for financial survival. The stories are written by real people who get paid (very little) real money. Take that out of the equation and the news goes away. I deeply value journalism and want it to survive. The level of entitlement evinced by you, gp, and many others on this site as regards the whole "information wants to be free" meme is simply stunning. Like, you really haven't given a moment's thought to what "free" implies here.