> I am never going to pay one publication a small fee every time I read an article. That model is completely counter-intuitive and punitive to the consumer.

Why not? The only argument I see here is that you have strong feelings.

People are very accustomed to paying for each thing they buy - that how we acquire almost everything. It may be "punitive" in some sense but it's fundamental to every marketplace.

iTunes thrived on that basis - paying for each song. I don't see people objecting to paying 10 cents (or whatever) to read an article.