The Industry Standard - New York Times charges readers a web subscription? - Comments

Judged negative. Q2

Ian Lamont — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:05:26 -0400

Judged negative. Q2 transcript here:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/150955-the-new-york-times-company-q2-200...

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/the_standard

Why are we still waiting,

Mario Rosales — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:45:54 -0400

Why are we still waiting, one week later, for a judgement on this? They haven't charged for access. Let's get this off the books already, you're tying up "money". ;-)

Not that many humans read

I remain without any name — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:42:05 -0400

Not that many humans read newspapers anymore it's apparent you cant charge for information when it's free!

The NYT is considering a

Ian Lamont — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:31:42 -0400

The NYT is considering a subscription, according to reports in the Nieman Journalism Lab and elsewhere:

http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/07/dear-new-york-times-please-charge-me-mo...

If the Times moves quickly on this, a positive judgment on this prediction could be rendered.

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/the_standard

Andrew: No, a paid mobile

Ian Lamont — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:54:55 -0400

Andrew: No, a paid mobile app would not meet the criteria. The prediction references the Web -- i.e., accessed through a Web browser.

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/the_standard

Dow Jones is reporting that

Andrew Birmingham — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:01:21 -0400

Dow Jones is reporting that NYT may charge a sub for mobile access. Would this meet the requirements of the prediction if true?

I think a minimum pledge in

Andrew Birmingham — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:44:48 -0400

I think a minimum pledge in order to access the content sounds an awful lot like a subscription to me, but I'm biased since I bet Yes on this prediction

Andrew: I'd have to say "no"

Ian Lamont — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:22:07 -0400

Andrew: I'd have to say "no" for the a meter system, but maybe for the other option.

A pledge is not the same thing as a subscription, but I'm wondering if the pledge system will serve as a de facto subscription -- for instance, you need to pledge a minimum of $X per year to access the content.

I'd say if it's a pledge system based on a minimum commitment and a fixed period of time, it should be considered a subscription, even if that term is not used.

What do others think?

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/ilamont

If either of the models

Andrew Birmingham — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:40:50 -0400

If either of the models outlined in the link supplied by Ian Lamont
http://www.observer.com/2009/media/new-york-times-considering-two-plans-... is adopted would that meet the criteria of for success under this prediction: New York Times charges readers a web subscription?

Two plans under

Ian Lamont — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:29:36 -0400

Two plans under consideration, decision to made by the end of June, says this source:

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/new-york-times-considering-two-plans-...

If true, it's not clear if it would be announced right away.

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/ilamont

An interesting and

Andrew Birmingham — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:40:18 -0400

An interesting and inevitable development.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/business/media/15brill.html?ref=busine...

The Rupe says newspapers

Andrew Birmingham — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:13:49 -0400

The Rupe says newspapers should charge for content.
According to the report, -- "People reading news for free on the Web, that's got to change," said Murdoch speaking at The Cable Show

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090403/media_nm/us_cableshow_murdoch

I invented the advertising

Robert Golieb — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:34:09 -0400

I invented the advertising model back in 1995 when the browser was introduced for public use. I announced my idea on radio and six months later someone wrote a book around it. Looking back, it is hard to believe people had no clue how to make money from the Internet.

The reason people are struggling online now is because their mind still lives in the 20th century. This does not mean ads are the only way to go. However, the solutions I've seen thus far reflect archaic thinking. I'm working on a book project about this right now. :-)

From paidcontent.org - more

Andrew Birmingham — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:59:49 -0400

From paidcontent.org - more on Arthur Sulzberger's comments

AB
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-weekend-reading-nyts-sulzberger-adm...

A little more details about

David Kuan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:50:49 -0400

A little more details about Arthyr Sulzberger comments ...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03142009/business/pinch_mull_web_charge_1594...
http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-new-york-times-mulls-online...

New York Times charges readers a web subscription?

Yi-Wyn Yen — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:20:49 -0500

The New York Times is in financial trouble. The Times is using up a $400 million credit line that ends in May and drawing from its 2011 line of credit. Though the company defends that it is in "better position than many others in the newspaper business," the Times is looking into a few business deals like selling its stake of the Boston Red Sox and entering a sale-leaseback of their new Times Squares headquarters to stay afloat.

Silicon Alley Insider blogger and former financial analyst Henry Blodget suggests that the NYT starts charging users $80-$100 a year to read its web content. The Times stopped charging readers to access certain articles by columnists and the newspapers' archives in Sept. 2007.

Prediction: The NYT announces that it will charge readers a web subscription by the time it reports Q2 2009 earnings in late August. The Times currently charges readers a fee to access content from 1923 to 1986 and is not defined as a web subscription.

Image: Kevin Prichard/Flickr