New York Times to charge full access to Website
By Andrew Vanacore and Michael Liedtke |
January 22, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE New York Times plans to charge readers for full access to its Website next year, reviving an idea that fizzled twice for the newspaper. This time it's betting that it will be able to wring more revenue from readers without crimping its Internet ad sales.
Under the plan outlined on Wednesday, the Times will adopt a "metered" system that will allow readers to click on a certain number of stories for free each month before fees kick in. A metered system is designed to draw casual readers with free articles while getting fees from people who want to dig deeper on the site.
The fees won't be imposed until next year, giving Times executives more time to build the system and figure out the details that are likely to dictate whether the gamble pays off. The pivotal issues include determining how much to charge and how many stories will be free each month.
The only certainty for now is that subscribers to the printed version of the Times will still get unlimited free access to the Website. That could help the Times sell more subscriptions to the printed newspaper among a portion of Internet readers who figure they may as well get the newspaper delivered to their home or office, too, as long as they have to pay to read everything online.
The newspaper also indicated it will meter the material it makes available on other online channels, such as through mobile phones, electronic readers and tablet computers.
The metered approach has worked well for The Financial Times, a more specialized newspaper that caters to an upscale audience.
Under the plan outlined on Wednesday, the Times will adopt a "metered" system that will allow readers to click on a certain number of stories for free each month before fees kick in. A metered system is designed to draw casual readers with free articles while getting fees from people who want to dig deeper on the site.
The fees won't be imposed until next year, giving Times executives more time to build the system and figure out the details that are likely to dictate whether the gamble pays off. The pivotal issues include determining how much to charge and how many stories will be free each month.
The only certainty for now is that subscribers to the printed version of the Times will still get unlimited free access to the Website. That could help the Times sell more subscriptions to the printed newspaper among a portion of Internet readers who figure they may as well get the newspaper delivered to their home or office, too, as long as they have to pay to read everything online.
The newspaper also indicated it will meter the material it makes available on other online channels, such as through mobile phones, electronic readers and tablet computers.
The metered approach has worked well for The Financial Times, a more specialized newspaper that caters to an upscale audience.
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