There's no reason why this model couldn't work for academic or educational content as well. "Berlin-based daily Tageszeitung (taz for short) has more than 10,000 supporters who make recurring donations to fund its operations; 50,000 subscribers to its print and digital editions; and more than 17,000 reader-owners who pay a minimum of EUR500 to join the taz cooperative." Access to the content is free; no paywall. Of course nobody is getting rich, but that's the point. Herde Hitziger, a member of the cooperative, writes, "For me, taz is part of my political identity… I think that the reader cooperative and taz zahl ich ["I pay"] is a visionary idea. Together we are making something available that is educational, including people who would not be able to afford it otherwise. I also feel that I am part of a community through taz."
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