The New York Times is moving forward with its digital subscription/paywall model, introducing the changes today in Canada. The changes come to U.S. readers of digital versions of The Times on March 28th.
This is how it will work, and what it means for you:
* On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20 articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access to our site.
* On our smartphone and tablet apps, the Top News section will remain free of charge. For access to all other sections within the apps, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber.
* The Times is offering three digital subscription packages that allow you to choose from a variety of devices (computer, smartphone, tablet). More information about these plans is available at nytimes.com/access.
* Again, all New York Times home delivery subscribers will receive free access to NYTimes.com and to all content on our apps. If you are a home delivery subscriber, go to homedelivery.nytimes.com to sign up for free access.
* Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media like Facebook and Twitter will be able to read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
* The home page at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will remain free to browse for all users at all times.
“The Times is launching digital subscriptions in the Canadian market beginning today in order to fine-tune the customer experience prior to the global launch,” the company said.
Unlimited digital access will cost consumers $8.75 per week, or $455 per year.
According to The Globe & Mail, The Times will need to strike a balance between pulling in revenue from readers and hurting its ad sales. UBS analyst John Janedis has a Sell rating on the company’s stock because of a weak print environment, estimated roughly 20 per cent of the paper’s digital advertising revenues could be at risk.
