The New York Times

Getting people to pay for news online at this point would be "like trying to force butterflies back into their cocoons," a new consumer survey suggests.

That was one of several bleak headlines in the Project for Excellence in Journalism's annual assessment of the state of the news industry, released Sunday.

The project's report contained an extensive look at habits of the estimated six in 10 Americans who say they get at least some news online during a typical day. On average, each person spends three minutes and four seconds per visit to a news site.

From The New York Times:

Jim Holt in The New York Times:

Dennis Overbye in The New York Times:

Craig Seligman in The New York Times:

Aroosa Masroor in Dawn:

Nicholas Wade in The New York Times:

Paid news content may be making a comeback. The Associated Press said Friday that it will set up a division to help its member newspapers and broadcasters sell content to the new generation of content devices, including tablet computers and e-readers.

AP President and CEO Tom Curley told the Colorado Press Association convention in Denver that the new division, called AP Gateway, will provide a "launching pad" for content from AP and other publishers.

A 'Variety of Ways'

Apple is sitting on $40 billion in cash, which it will use not for revenues but to make "big, bold moves," CEO Steve Jobs announced at the company's annual shareholder meeting. He said the company will be aggressive in coming years and its big barrel of cash will provide an important buffer.

"When you take risks, it's like jumping in the air. When they don't work out, it's nice to know the ground is always there," Jobs said.