The new, exponentially digitized environment in communications is giving rise to the need to rethink the sector’s business and production models. News organisations’ pursuit of yield and profitability for their digital outlets, a main preoccupation in today’s communication industry, is driving research on new methods of production and payment. In this article we compare the various business models being implemented by the newspaper industry, a sector that is consolidating various formulas for the relationship between a media outlet and its readers. On one hand, we find the freemium model utilized by The Wall Street Journal, which combines free and paid content. On the other hand, the metered or utility model, favoured by The Financial Times, focuses on the extent of consumption and the establishment of a variable rate. The micropayment model, adopted by several digital newspapers, is based on an open platform and geared towards charging the reader for specific content. Finally, an innovative franchise model is developing, primarily within the environment of local editions of mass media publications, which impacts both the reader and the product quality.