The New York Times has just announced the details of its new Digital Subscription service or paywall, which it has been working on for a year. The company made the announcement both in emails to those already registered for free at its site, as well as in a story posted to its site.
For now, there are no changes. The changes begin on March 28. After that time, Web readers will have access to 20 articles per month. Upon attempting to access their 21st article, users will be presented with an option to buy into one of three digital subscription plans: $15 for a month of access to the Web site and a mobile phone app; $20 for Web access and an iPad app; and $35 for an all-platform access plan. The NYT has a page up detailing the plans; it also notes that those who come back on Day One, March 28, will have access to a special introductory offer.
For the NYT smartphone and tablet apps, the "Top News" section will remain free of charge, but for access to all other sections within the apps, they will ask readers to become a digital subscriber
Notably, for its iOS apps, the Times will be acceding to Apple's new subscription plans. That means that while it can offer subscriptions outside of its iOS apps, it must also offer then as in-app purchases, from which Apple takes 30 percent, and from which the NYT will lose access to subscriber data.
Current print delivery subscribers will have free and unlimited access across all Times digital platforms except, for now, e-book readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. Also, those who reach New York Times stories via search engines, Twitter, and Facebook will be able to access the stories for free. The only exclusion is that "certain" search engines will have limits.
You can probably guess what that means: Google referrals will be limited to five per day per user.
It remains to be seen how well this will work for the New York Times. Twenty articles a month is pretty generous, and the fact that you can get to stories for free even over that limit will lead those will a little tech-savvy to use Bing or some other engine to reach a story (just as they do with Wall Street Journal stories, which can be accessed in full via a Google search).
Additionally, people are still used to everything (or most of it) on the Web being free. Putting up this paywall will force people to decide where they want to go, and there are, unfortunately for the Times, plenty of other high quality places to go.
For now, there are no changes. The changes begin on March 28. After that time, Web readers will have access to 20 articles per month. Upon attempting to access their 21st article, users will be presented with an option to buy into one of three digital subscription plans: $15 for a month of access to the Web site and a mobile phone app; $20 for Web access and an iPad app; and $35 for an all-platform access plan. The NYT has a page up detailing the plans; it also notes that those who come back on Day One, March 28, will have access to a special introductory offer.
For the NYT smartphone and tablet apps, the "Top News" section will remain free of charge, but for access to all other sections within the apps, they will ask readers to become a digital subscriber
Notably, for its iOS apps, the Times will be acceding to Apple's new subscription plans. That means that while it can offer subscriptions outside of its iOS apps, it must also offer then as in-app purchases, from which Apple takes 30 percent, and from which the NYT will lose access to subscriber data.
Current print delivery subscribers will have free and unlimited access across all Times digital platforms except, for now, e-book readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. Also, those who reach New York Times stories via search engines, Twitter, and Facebook will be able to access the stories for free. The only exclusion is that "certain" search engines will have limits.
You can probably guess what that means: Google referrals will be limited to five per day per user.
It remains to be seen how well this will work for the New York Times. Twenty articles a month is pretty generous, and the fact that you can get to stories for free even over that limit will lead those will a little tech-savvy to use Bing or some other engine to reach a story (just as they do with Wall Street Journal stories, which can be accessed in full via a Google search).
Additionally, people are still used to everything (or most of it) on the Web being free. Putting up this paywall will force people to decide where they want to go, and there are, unfortunately for the Times, plenty of other high quality places to go.
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