Posted on 03/18/2002 12:32:37 PM PST by GeneD
The Times has become the latest newspaper to admit it can't carry on giving away its web content for nothing with the announcement of a host of new paid-for services.
The newspaper will also start charging overseas visitors to access the site.
"The free ride is over and the days of free content have gone," said Paul Hayes, the general manager of Times Newspapers.
The move follows Pearson's announcement earlier this month that it plans to start charging users up to £100 a year for access to parts of the FT.com site.
Times Online will follow a slightly different strategy, charging separately for specific online services.
It already charges a subscription for its online crosswords and for access to its archives, and will soon start charging for access to law reports and a special World Cup section.
"The Times was the first UK publisher to recognise the value of online content. The internet offers strong commercial opportunities and we intend to take advantage of them," added Mr Hayes.
Other newspaper sites, most of which have already experimented with paid-for content, are expected to follow suit later this year by asking users to pay for content.
"We remain unimpressed by business models that will not deliver a return on our investments. Charging for content is not a new idea - newspaper publishers have been doing it for 200 years," said Mr Hayes.
Last year Times Online was given a complete overhaul, merging its two newspaper sites to save money and requiring users to register to access the site.
Anyone registered from overseas will now have to pay a subscription to access any part of the site.
However, Mr Hayes insisted that the 10 content "channels" culled from the daily paper will remain free to UK users.
In a move that could have implications for the BBC's desire to charge overseas visitors to access its sites, Mr Hayes insisted the site will employ technology that can identify a user's home country with over 90% accuracy.
Ahhh....the marketplace.....even the marketplace of ideas, news and opinions. Best price, gentlemen. Best price.
And right now your best price is having me visit your site and see the advertising you have posted there.
Content providers are going to have to a go to something like 10 cents an article view via Pay Pal. Subscriptions are no good.
Content providers are going to have to a go to something like 10 cents an article view via Pay Pal. Subscriptions are no good.
The same thing will happen with the web.
The Electronic Telegraph and the Times both conducted market surveys recently presaging the intro of fees. Expect the Telegraph to join very quickly in the move to fees. Then expect many others, American as well as British, to follow.
I'll miss the free papers but companies have a limited tolerance for operations that simply bleed money.
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Unless, of course, it's Hollywood (or government service contractors) in which case it is a shrug of the shoulder and "Oh, well,it's just OPM." (other people's money)
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