Could this be the wave of the future? As newspapers go to paid Web models, allowing sponsors to lift the pay wall for a day, or a week, or longer?

It could be a great idea. If you want to see, check out The Wall Street Journal's free Web site today, sponsored by Sprint.

But, of course, if you click on the Sprint ad, it takes you not to a Sprint page but to a page where you can subscribe to the Journal at a discount.

Is The New York Times watching?