Great question, Don. Profile reading time should be paid reading time. I publish a poem and it can be read in it's entirety on my profile and the poem shows no reading time.

So, just what incentive do I have to share my creative work on Medium if I'm not getting a dime (pennies, if lucky) for it anyway? And since it's been published, most other publications won't accept it. My work takes time and hard-honed skill while Medium collects $5 a month for the privilege of using my art to make money for Medium PLUS $5 fee per month from me.

I'll admit it's easier than setting up my own blog but I'm not sure I see any advantage to giving profits from my art to Medium. It isn't as though I ever expected to make a living writing but I feel my skills and talent are being used by Medium with little or nothing for me. If Medium paid for reading time from non-members it would be much fairer but they don't do that.

If someone has the answer to your question, I'd love to see it.