Some more quotes:

Furthermore, for every major news site that decides to charge, they have just opened the playing field wide open for others to come and scoop up their market with a better, smarter business model. And don't think some smart media execs and entrepreneurs aren't salivating over the opportunity of some major publications to go behind the paywall.

He (Lionel Barber) continually talks up how important journalism is to the community, but doesn't do much to talk about how important the community is to news organizations.

Links @ the source

My opinion:

If they don't embrace the new social media, it won't catch on. The landscape of journalism & media has evolved since the days people still bought (enough) newspapers. And if news-outlets won't embrace these new forms of media that entail things like blogging & comments to name a few, then only erecting a 'paywall' will not form a solution to their current situation.