Yesterday, I wrote about the significant web traffic costs of locking newspaper archives. To summarize, locking content keeps people from linking to it and search engines from indexing it, eliminating millions of entry pages to the site and the ad revenue that would come with it. Today, I'll explore the effect this strategy has on top columnists.

Columnist Income Sources

Influential columnists tend to generate an income from multiple sources including, but not limited to:

1. Newspaper Columns
2. Writing Books
3. Speaking Gigs
4. Radio Shows
5. Television

If their columns are hidden in a subscription-only service, or quickly locked in the archives:

• Their readership shrinks.
  
• The columnist becomes less influential.
  
• Fewer people, including influential bloggers, link to their content since the blogger's readers won't be able to access it.
  
• New readers judge the columnist based on only their last column or two - if available - rather than their larger body of work.

So, if the influence of their columns drops, what happens to their other revenue sources?

Will they move as many books if their less read in newspapers?

Will they draw the same speaking fees?

Will they receive as much air time on radio or television?

I imagine the answer is, "No."

Money or Power?

What motivates top columnists: Money or power? The analysis above looks at the financial side of this equation, but is the power side really that different? Top columnists are assuredly motivated by some combination of money and power, and a columnist's power correlates with their readership.

So, what's a great columnist to do? Which syndication sources brings in the most income, and which ones deliver the most influence/power?

What value does the New York Times brand offer their columnists?

Would they be better off leaving newspapers who limit the exposure of their work?

Or do the columnists need access to newspaper's readers as much as the newspapers need columnists?

Should columnists switch to blogging?

Should they write for high traffic blogs with appropriate target audiences?

Who will be the first New York Times columnist to make the jump to article freedom? Place your bets in the comments below.