Starting today, The New York Times is no longer allowing unlimited access to their website for free. Instead, they are now letting users read 20 articles online per month. Once those 20 articles are used up, the website will require users to pay a subscription fee to gain access to more online content.
There are some notable exceptions to this rule, however. First, subscribers to the print edition of the New York Times will always be able to read it online for free. Second, if users come to articles by clicking links on social media sites (such as twitter or Facebook), they will always be able to view articles for free.
This decision reflects a significant change in the structure of the newspaper business and their online business model. Obviously, with subscription rates in free-fall, newspapers have realized that offering their paper at a cost when the same content is available online for free is an unsustainable business model. But how will consumers react to the limits and fees? Though allowing free access through social media links is a step in the right direction, it seems like the New York Times is only going to frustrate users and drive them to other sites. With content available for free everywhere online, what makes the Times any better than any other site? Only time will tell whether this strategy will work out.
Perhaps the company would be better served by using a strategy of online advertising to generate revenue for their site. Or, perhaps, they could follow The Economist’s lead and offer a limited number of stories online with the opportunity for paid subscribers to access a digital edition.
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