'Total failure' is a pretty strong description. 'Dominant text messaging billing structure for over a decade' comes closer. And I think it's an important distinction that per-message charges disappeared because they were out-competed by flat plans, not because people weren't willing to pay per-message fees.
A $0.99 song from itunes isn't a micropayment. It's a dollar paid for a music track you are likely to listen to over and over. Additionally, you knew what you were buying because you heard the music for free on the radio or in a club.
Journalistic work doesn't fit the iTunes model. News and blog posts tend to be fire and forget. Nobody will pay $1 up front, and once they've consumed the content once, they no longer need to pay for it.