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Mag Publishers Try A New Kind Of 'Free' Pay Wall

Publications including Maxim, Guitar World and OK are testing a new kind of pay wall for online content -- one that, "instead of charging readers, requires them to watch an advertiser's video," writes Michael Sebastian. "In effect, the brands become sponsors for a reader's content consumption, in a very direct and memorable way," Mark Yackanich, CEO of Genesis Media, told Sebastian.

Genesis created Content Unlock, the system, that runs the program, which Starcom Media Vest is also experimenting with "as part of an effort to better target its clients' video advertising, writes Sebastian. "Genesis plans to offer the next iteration of Content Unlock to publishers that have traditional pay walls in place, enabling newspapers, for example, to give some visitors access in exchange for watching a video rather than universally requiring payment."

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