Well, it’s been a while since speculation over whether the New York Times would begin to charge online readers for content has arisen. Now it’s back, this time from New York Magazine, who reports that the NYT has decided to start charging for content and has apparently settled on the “metered system.”
This system allows visitors to read a certain number of articles for free before hitting a pay wall requiring a subscription to see more. This metered setup is used by the Financial Times.
The last time the NYT was predicted to go to a pay model was back in July, in the Daily Telegraph. They weren’t the first either, but it appears the Times was able to hold off more speculation for half a year before this latest one.
Most people seem to be in agreement that the NYT plans to go to some kind of paid scheme, it’s just a matter of when. The beleaguered news giant has been taking punches financially for some time and is losing readership right and left in favor of the Web.
Meanwhile, CNET is reporting that a spokesperson for the Times has confirmed that “changes are coming to the website,” but nothing more.
Those changes, however, might not necessarily be for a paid subscription model to read the newspaper on the Internet. They could have something to do with a rumored special deal that is supposedly being made between Apple and the NYT.
That deal involves the much-anticipated “iSlate” or Apple Tablet computer. Digital Trends’ Dena Cassella talks about that and the fact that Apple has been known to be shopping around for media companies and content providers for its new tablet.
All very interesting, for sure. It’s only a matter of time before traditional print media begins to realize that their day is done and others are moving in to fill the void.
