NY Times gets 454K digital subs, cuts free access in half
updated 02:30 pm EDT, Tue March 20, 2012
One year of paid digital subscriptions celebrated
The New York Times Media Group revealed some changes on Tuesday regarding its digital subscription packages and offers. Although spun by the company, a shift in April will see it reduce free access from 20 articles to 10 on the New York Times website. The success of the service is likely what drove the change, with the outfit also developing exclusive mobile and digital products for subscribers.
March 18 is the one-year anniversary of launching paid digital subscriptions, during which the service has amassed 454,000 paid subscribers for e-readers, digital subscription packages, and digital editions of The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. To celebrate, before the end of March, digital subscribers will be able to gift one 12-week subscription each to the NYTimes.com and smartphone apps.
Users can access videos and slideshows with their digital subscriptions, including the Business Day Live daily live business news video program. The smartphone and tablet section of the newspaper will be free, though access to other sections will require a digital subscription. Accessing individual stories from e-mail links, searches, blogs, and through social media won't count towards the 20 or 10 article limit. Some unnamed search engines have a daily limit of five free links to Times articles, however.
Three different digital subscription plans are offered, with promotional rates in effect for the first four weeks. Print subscribers get free access to digital content.
