What it costs to read Chicago news in 2026
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Layoffs, belt-tightening and rising consumer costs are shedding light on how news organizations are navigating revenue in the era of digital subscriptions, paywalls and donations.
Why it matters: News, which was once free on the internet, is costing more and more for consumers.
The latest: The Washington Post is laying off hundreds of journalists in an effort to "restructure" the newsroom and cut costs.
- In 2024, the company began prioritizing subscriptions over digital advertising, raising the yearly fee to access content.
The big picture: While major media companies and news organizations tinker with delivery methods, tiered subscriptions and bundles that include non-news packages, including crossword puzzles and games, local news is still operating standard paywalls, relying on subscription-based revenue instead of digital advertising.
- A 2024 study reported that at least 75% of the nation's news outlets are now behind a paywall.
- The nonprofit Chicago Sun-Times' approach is slightly different, forcing non-subscribers to watch a video ad before reading an article.
By the numbers: In 2015, it cost about $8 a month to read the Chicago Tribune online. In 2026, that price has climbed to $20, far outpacing inflation as publishers push more costs onto readers.
- If a consumer subscribed to the major daily news organizations in Chicago, it would cost around $200 a month, though that total drops with discounted annual subscriptions.
The other side: Critics have argued that paywalls create a two-tier society, where those with means are informed and those without are not.
- Last week, actor John Cusack penned an editorial in the Sun-Times asking newspapers not to put essential news behind paywalls, especially immigration enforcement coverage.
The bottom line: As news organizations charge more to survive, access to local information is increasingly becoming a luxury rather than a public good.
Here is how much local news digital subscriptions cost in 2026:
Caveat: This is a snapshot of the standard costs, but special discount offers pop up throughout the year.
Chicago Tribune: $20 a month for a standard digital subscription.
Chicago Sun-Times: The paper once offered digital-only subscriptions around $10 a month, but it has moved to the new donation model, asking for a standard $9 a month contribution.
Daily Herald: Just under $15 a month.
Crain's Chicago Business: $18 a month.
Block Club: Starts at $10 a month. The local news outlet uses a metered paywall.
WBEZ: The public radio's website doesn't have a paywall. Instead, it asks for donations, starting at $5 a month.
WTTW: Same as WBEZ. Donation levels vary for the public television station, but the lowest is $5 a month.
Chicago Magazine: $9.99 a year.
CHGO Sports: $79.00 a year.
CHSN (Bulls/Blackhawks/White Sox): $29.99 a month (for all three teams). You can get a lower cost ($19.99) if you subscribe to just one team's content.
Marquee (Cubs): $19.99 a month
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