Charging for Op-Ed at the New York Times

I see the New York Times has decided to move its Op-Ed page to a paid subscription section. Those columns will no longer be available free to the public over the Internet.

I think that's a mistake. The Times states, "Get exclusive online access to The Times's most influential writers." Just how influential will those columns remain if their audience is reduced to paid access only? I don't expect to pay the freight, and I suspect the majority of their current Internet audience will likewise drop out.