If I'm paying for a subscription, then I am the customer, theoretically anyway. Which is why I wish they would take a subscriber-centered approach. If they sent me ads I indicated I wanted to see, then I should be more willing to click on them then some ad trying to indicate how much I really need a left-handed blivet in my life even though I've never indicated any interest in such an item. It seems like it would bring higher click-through numbers for a lot less work. Companies selling left-handed blivets might be hurt, but that's not my concern. But then I don't understand anything about the current system, admittedly. I do everything I can to avoid it.

I am not actually a subscriber though, but I think I might become one for at least a while after this is in place just to try to reward companies moving in this direction. It would be refreshing to be able to go to a news site and not have noscript show dozens of domains in it's list.