Beginning in January of 2011, the New York Times will charge frequent visitors to the site for access. That is, they’ll try to charge frequent visitors for access. This new model of online news service is big talk in the industry. Ad revenue isn’t cutting it for big companies, so charging readers seems like a natural step. But will it work?
The Gawker broke down the readership to predict how many users would actually pay. As can be seen in the gallery, it won’t be many. Seriously, with all the information that’s available on the 'net, the Times will be lucky to see much from this endeavor. The New York Times will charge for access, but not many people will pay.
Online News Paywalls
New York Times Will Charge for Access, Will It Work?
Trend Themes
1. Paywall Adoption - More news organizations will adopt paywalls as an additional revenue stream, prompting a shift in consumer behavior towards paying for online news.
2. Subscription Fatigue - Consumers will experience a paywall and subscription fatigue, leading to a rise in alternative models such as micropayments or hybrid pay/free access models.
3. Personalized News - As paywalls become more common, personalized news services will emerge to offer highly curated content to paying subscribers.
Industry Implications
1. Media - News outlets across various media platforms will experiment with different paywall models as a way to address declining advertising revenue and the need for sustainable revenue streams.
2. Technology - The technology industry will develop new tools and platforms that enable personalized news experiences and payment methods for online news services.
3. Marketing - Marketers will need to learn how to effectively market and advertise for online news services behind paywalls, driving the need for new strategies and tactics.