The New York Times was one of the first to go on line and then some time afterward, charge an annual fee for accessing all newspaper content on line. Then the Times dropped the fee and it has, to date, basically all been free.
Now comes news that there are going to be limits to what is available gratis on line or by way of download to an iphone or ipad. It's the "world" of charging for online content that Murdoch is seeking to follow. The Times admits it is a tentative step. Of course, the $64 million question is whether reading newspapers on the likes of an ipad will save newspapers from extinction - or very substantial diminution.
"Time has decided to dive head first into an issue that has bedeviled many a news organization before it: how to wean online readers off their addictions to free content.
Time began taking content from its current issue off its Web site this week, a move that is meant to drive readers to newsstands and Time’s iPad applications.
Richard Stengel, Time’s managing editor, said the move was part of a continuing experiment to retrain readers into paying for articles.
“I think we’ll see what works and doesn’t work,” Mr. Stengel said in a telephone interview. “We’ll adapt and change. We’re in the hunt like everyone else to figure this out.”
Mr. Stengel called the decision to post abridged versions of articles on its Web site an effort to draw a brighter line between what the magazine gives away and what it charges consumers to read.
“We kind of wanted to draw a line in the sand,” he said.
Many items from the magazine will remain available on Time’s Web site. Columns like those from Joe Klein are still available, as are the magazine’s vast archives. And once an issue is two weeks old, its content will be posted on the site and available to the public.
Mr. Stengel said Time planned to adjust what it left off its site and what it decided to post to get a better feel for what works and what does not.
“We want to remain a vigorous and important part of the conversation,” he said. “There are some things that are necessary to be part of that. But we will experiment.”
Now comes news that there are going to be limits to what is available gratis on line or by way of download to an iphone or ipad. It's the "world" of charging for online content that Murdoch is seeking to follow. The Times admits it is a tentative step. Of course, the $64 million question is whether reading newspapers on the likes of an ipad will save newspapers from extinction - or very substantial diminution.
"Time has decided to dive head first into an issue that has bedeviled many a news organization before it: how to wean online readers off their addictions to free content.
Time began taking content from its current issue off its Web site this week, a move that is meant to drive readers to newsstands and Time’s iPad applications.
Richard Stengel, Time’s managing editor, said the move was part of a continuing experiment to retrain readers into paying for articles.
“I think we’ll see what works and doesn’t work,” Mr. Stengel said in a telephone interview. “We’ll adapt and change. We’re in the hunt like everyone else to figure this out.”
Mr. Stengel called the decision to post abridged versions of articles on its Web site an effort to draw a brighter line between what the magazine gives away and what it charges consumers to read.
“We kind of wanted to draw a line in the sand,” he said.
Many items from the magazine will remain available on Time’s Web site. Columns like those from Joe Klein are still available, as are the magazine’s vast archives. And once an issue is two weeks old, its content will be posted on the site and available to the public.
Mr. Stengel said Time planned to adjust what it left off its site and what it decided to post to get a better feel for what works and what does not.
“We want to remain a vigorous and important part of the conversation,” he said. “There are some things that are necessary to be part of that. But we will experiment.”
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