New York
– The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) announced on Wednesday that it will introduce a
"metered" paid model for access to its website at the beginning of
2011. Under the plan, online readers will be able to access a set number of
articles per month for free, and then be charged once they exceed that number.
The
company said it will be building a "new online infrastructure" to
support the metered plan this year.
"This will enable NYTimes.com to
create a second revenue stream and preserve its robust advertising business. It
will also provide the necessary flexibility to keep an appropriate ratio
between free and paid content and stay connected to a search-driven Web,"
the company said.
New York Times home delivery print subscribers will still
enjoy free access to NYTimes.com.
"This process of rethinking our business
model has also been driven by our desire to achieve additional revenue
diversity that will make us less susceptible to the inevitable economic
cycles," said Janet L. Robinson, president and CEO of The New York Times
Company.
"We were also guided by the fact that our news and information
are being featured in an increasingly broad range of end-user devices and
services, and our pricing plans and policies must reflect this vision."
"Our
audiences are very loyal and we believe that our readers will pay for our
award-winning digital content and services," added Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.,
chairman of The New York Times Company and publisher of The New York Times.
Poll: Will NYT "Metered" Pay Model Online Be Financially Successful?
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