I can see both sides of this issue.  I was on GA TECH when they displaced us
all.  I was afraid for awhile that I would not find another univ home and was/
am willing to pay something for a list that is not academic.   (My own univ does
not offer it .... to anyone.  The exception is within the Computer sci.
department...)
 
For some lists the newsgroups are fine...others...no way.  I started 7 months
ago with 20 people, now have 110.  I don't really expect it will go over 125,
as the number increases now only gradually.  I think that most who have lists
that are not strictly academic would be willing to pay a fee for service...
if the service could be depended upon.  One of the "private" sites I almost went
to...disappeared after 3 months!  Another list similar to mine has been at a
site run by someone who is finishing a degree in January...and she has to find
a new site by then....she has a fund set up to pay for costs at a new site
if/when she finds one.....me, too, if need be.