How the New York Times Charging for Content May Be Good for Me

So yesterday, the New York Times acknowledged that it will be charging for content in 2011. No doubt other news organizations will follow suit over the next year or so. They must or they will perish. It's simple economics.

I'm not really shocked this is happening and the more I got to thinking about this, not only is it inevitable (said Agent Smith to Mr. Anderson), but I believe I have actually discovered a way this may benefit me.

I'm the type of guy who, upon the arrival of birthdays or Christmas, never knows what to put on my wish list. This has resulted in a varied collection of ugly ties, knick knacks that collect dust, and a number of money clips (I don't carry cash).

As the news outlets move to the payment model (and make no bones about it, this will include the CNN's, Fox's, and others), I now know what to ask Santa to bring.

I can hear the conversation now with my wife and sons. "So, what do you want for your birthday?" My response "Oh, maybe an iTunes card and a gift subscription for a year ot the New York Times."

I figure if I play my cards right with my wife, my kids, my parents, and my in-laws, not only am I an easy gift purchase moving forward, but I get exactly what I want and need. It's no different than that gift subscription I got every year for Newsweek.

This all assumes I stay off the "naughty" list.