Skip to main content

New York Times Going Behind a PayWall in 2011

The New York Times has announced it intends to take its online news offering behind a “paywall” beginning in early 2011. Frequent readers of its Web site will have to pay the newspaper for access to online versions of its content; access will be available for a flat fee, and subscribers to the print edition will be have full access to the Web site at no additional charge.

New York Times
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Our new business model is designed to provide additional support for The New York Times’ extraordinary, professional journalism,” said publisher New York Times Company chair Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., in a statement. “Our audiences are very loyal and we believe that our readers will pay for our award-winning digital content and services.”

Recommended Videos

The newspaper did not announce how much access to the site would cost, how payments would be handled, or what constituted “frequent” access to the site. The newspaper says that “incidental” visitors who occasionally come into the site or an article via a link or searches will not be impacted by the paywall model; the paper also apparently plans to roll its own payment and subscription management system, rather than rely on third-party services.

The New York Times is consistently ranked as one of the most-trafficked newspaper sites on the Internet: according to Nielsen, it is the top newspaper-owned Web site and among the top five news and current events sites. The newspaper has a storied history and, despite some controversies, is generally regarded as one of the top journalism outlets in the United States and the world. The paper does command a very loyal audience of subscribers and a strong brand; however, it remains to be seen how many of them will be willing to pay to access that content online if they don’t already subscribe to the printed edition.

Industry watchers view the paper’s move as gutsy. To date, the most successful “paywall” operation in the newspaper business is the Wall Street Journal, which offers highly specialized business content. However, general interest current events and news publications have so far hesitated to take their content behind paywalls, fearing the move will gut their online operations as Internet users simply shift to other online venues that offer news content without a fee. So far, the primary force in making newspapers consider a paywall model is mega-publisher Rupert Murdoch (whose News Corp. also owns the Wall Street Journal).

Geoff Duncan
Former Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Don’t miss this chance to buy a MacBook Air at $200 off
The MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

For those who have always wanted to get one of Apple's MacBooks but can't stomach the price tag, here's your chance to buy one for a relatively affordable price. Best Buy has slashed the price of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M3 to only $699, for savings of $200 on its sticker price of $899. You need to act fast though, as there's always high demand for MacBook deals. The stocks that are up for sale may already be gone as soon as tomorrow.

Why you should buy the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M3

Read more
This HP Chromebook is under half-price today — just $190
The HP Chromebook 14 laptop on a white background.

You should turn your attention towards Chromebook deals if you want to buy a new laptop on a tight budget, and we've found an offer that you won't want to miss. From its original price of $410, the HP Chromebook 14 is down to just $190 for savings of $220 from Walmart. You won't always have the chance to get this device for less than half-price though -- in fact, the opportunity may be gone as soon as tomorrow. If you want to take advantage of the discount, you need to buy the Chromebook right now.

Why you should buy the HP Chromebook 14

Read more
Avast’s most complete antivirus plan is 70% off right now
Couple making selfie inside car with open window.

Avast has been popping off with incredible deals this month. The antivirus company recently offered 70% off its Premium tier of virus protection. For the next 30 days, Avast is extending that offer to its Ultimate tier of protection. That means you can protect one device with Avast Ultimate for $33 for a year, down from its usual $110. If you want to cover 10 devices, you'll only pay $42 instead of $140.

Let's dive into what Avast Ultimate offers and why you might want it over the free tier or the Premium plan. This deal is live now, and will stick around for the next four weeks.

Read more