The New York Times initiates
a new wave in the industry
- rolls out digital subscriptions plan globally
Creating a new wave in the news publishing, The New York Times has recently launched digital subscriptions, which will affect some users of its award-winning web site, NYTimes.com, and its applications for smartphone and tablet. Under this subscription plan launched on March 28, 2011, all users of NYTimes.com are able to enjoy 20 articles at no charge each month (including slideshows, videos and other forms of content). Beyond 20 articles and for open access to the site, users will be asked to become digital subscribers. For non-home delivery subscribers, three digital subscription packages are being offered: $15 every four weeks for access to the web site and a mobile phone app, $20 for web access and an iPad app or $35 for an all-access plan.
In making announcement, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr, chairman of The New York Times Company and publisher of The New York Times, said, “Today marks a significant transition for The Times, an important day in our 159-year history of evolution and reinvention. Our decision to begin charging for digital access will result in another source of revenue, strengthening our ability to continue to invest in the journalism and digital innovation on which our readers have come to depend. This move will enhance The Times’s position as a source of trustworthy news, information and high-quality opinion for many years to come.”
“As the market for and delivery of digital content evolves, we believe that supplementing advertising revenue with digital subscription revenue makes tremendous sense. The step we are taking today will further improve our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers across the world on any platform, while maintaining the large and growing audience that supports our robust advertising business,” said Janet L Robinson, president and chief executive officer of The New York Times Company which publishes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers and more than 50 websites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com.
