My ultimate goal is that authors/publishers get paid a little bit of something rather than a massive nothing (because the all-or-nothing subcribing to individual websites isn't happening).

I feel this issue echoes digital piracy, which I was happy to cease until there were dozens of individual platforms created. If you make it easier to not steal than to steal, less people will steal (is my premise, at least).

For background: I am a blue collar electrician, not a techie. I just want a simple method of paying for consumed news — without having to pay for access to an entire newspaper (which I only want to read ONE article).