[majormajor]

Or it's the opposite of spam: it could be a testimonial from paying customers that the content is worth it.

90% of the time I'd rather see a link to a paid source than one to the ad-revenue-hunting blogging-with-a-fancy-name Business Insider, Forbes, etc sites of the world.

[devgutt]

There is a misunderstanding here. I am not saying NYT is doing something wrong or shouldn't do this, but I don't want to pay for their content (I have other priorities). I am just saying that HN is a much better experience without the frustration to click the link because the subject is interesting, and realize that I can't read. The content is "good" or not is irrelevant.

[bookofjoe]

I share your frustration, but with Financial Times links: tantalizing headlines, regularly linked here, but with an ABSOLUTE paywall, i.e.: NO free articles at all ever.