Question 49·Easy·Command of Evidence
Effect of Paywall Introduction on Newspaper Companies’ Revenues
| Newspaper | Total revenue change ($ in thousands) | Percentage change (%) | Newspaper size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Times | 93,966 | 12.5 | large |
| The New York Times | 235,788 | 20 | large |
| The Denver Post | −3,765 | −1 | small |
| Sun Sentinel | −24,899 | −11.9 | small |
| Chicago Tribune | 94,492 | 19 | large |
Digital paywalls restrict access to online content to those with a paid subscription. In an investigation of the effect of paywalls on newspaper company revenues for print and digital subscriptions and advertising, Doug J. Chung and colleagues compared actual outcomes (with a paywall) to control estimates (without a paywall). The researchers concluded that introducing a paywall is generally more beneficial for larger newspapers, which have high circulation and tend to offer a substantial amount of unique online content.
Which choice best describes data from the table that support Chung and colleagues’ conclusion?
For SAT data-evidence questions, first restate the claim in your own words (here: paywalls help large papers more than small ones). Then go straight to the relevant columns in the chart or table and look for the overall pattern that matches that claim (e.g., large vs. small, higher vs. lower percentages). Finally, scan the answer choices and pick the one that explicitly summarizes that pattern—especially comparisons that match the groups in the claim (large vs. small)—while ignoring tempting but irrelevant comparisons (like large vs. large only or statements that don’t connect both sides of the claim).
Hints
Focus on what the researchers claimed
Reread the sentence with the researchers’ conclusion. What are they saying about larger newspapers compared with smaller ones?
Use the right columns in the table
Look closely at the Newspaper size and Percentage change (%) columns together. How do the large newspapers compare to the small ones in terms of percentage change?
Check what each answer is comparing
For each answer choice, ask: Does it compare a large newspaper to a small newspaper, and does it use percentage change to show a difference?
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the researchers’ conclusion
The passage says that introducing a paywall is more beneficial for larger newspapers. To support this conclusion, we need data showing that large newspapers did better (in terms of revenue change) than small newspapers.
Look at size and percentage change in the table
Use the "Newspaper size" and "Percentage change" columns together.
- The large newspapers (Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune) all have positive percentage changes.
- The small newspapers (The Denver Post, Sun Sentinel) both have negative percentage changes. This pattern supports the idea that paywalls helped large newspapers more than small ones.
Decide what kind of comparison best supports the conclusion
The strongest support will be a direct comparison between at least one large newspaper and one small newspaper, using the percentage change (not just total dollars). We’re looking for an answer choice that clearly contrasts a positive percentage change for a large paper with a worse or negative percentage change for a small paper.
Match the correct answer choice to that comparison
Among the choices, only one directly compares a large newspaper with a small newspaper using their percentage changes: it states that The New York Times, a large paper, had a revenue change, while The Denver Post, a small paper, had a revenue change. This clearly shows the paywall was more beneficial for the large paper than for the small one, so that choice is correct.