Contrary to the assertions of popular writers or influential hand-wringers, people still pay for content, spending an average of $81 per month to get their favorite media products. But how they pay for content has already begun a fundamental transformation. To thrive, media product strategists must shift to a model in which paid content is more virtual than physical — and more rented than owned. Controlling the flow of digital subscriptions is now the new priority in the digital media world.