A frequent occurrence at an online news site is for a user to be asked to register at the site, which usually involves providing some demographic information and often requires the user to set up a password to use the site.

Overall, 45% of internet users told Pew Internet & American Life Project they have done this, and of those who say they have ever gone online for news, 53% say they have registered at a website in order to get news and information. These number rises to 54% for all broadband users and 59% for broadband users who have gotten news online. In addition to being, often, a gateway to news, registration at news sites facilitates paying for content that news sites may offer for a fee. Such items may be past news articles, news broadcasts, or video clips. Not many internet users pay for such content; only 6% say they do. Home broadband users are more apt to do this than dial-up users by a 8% to 4% margin.