Bee pretends Internet has changed

In January the Sacramento Bee baffled people by going against the trend and moving its online political coverage behind the pay wall — a high wall at $499 a year. I don't know if they made any money — and they won't say — but popular California political blogger Dan Weintraub, and the Bee's coverage itself, all but disappeared from conversation except in the most elite circles. Well, today the Bee gave up the ghost and announced that Capitol Alert will be free starting Monday. Curiously, the announcement claims the move is "in response to the rapidly changing online world." What changed except the Bee suits realized they goofed? Memo at Romenesko.