The New York Times is planning more than one subscription package as part of its paid online content strategy, the Wall Street Journal reported today. As well as an Internet-only subscription for unlimited access to NYTimes.com, which is expected to implement a 'metered' payment model next month, the paper will sell a broader digital package which offers both website access and the paper's iPad application.

The WSJ's source, who is "familiar with the matter" told the paper that the Times had considered charging around $20 a month for the digital bundle and less than half of that for the Web-only offering. As noted last week, a Times subscription on the Kindle reader is $19.99.

The metered model will allow all readers to access a certain number of articles free each month before prompting them to sign up for a subscription. It is not clear yet how many this will be, but as the WSJ noted, Times Co executives have said that only about 15% of the paper's online readers qualify as 'heavy users' - the ones who will be required to pay.

"We are positive about how much traffic we think we will retain," NYT CEO Janet Robinson said in October last year. The "porous" nature of the metered model, which will also free clicks into the site through Google search or social media, means that the site should be able retain its place in the global media conversation.

The New York Times' anticipated paid online content model is similar to that in place at the Financial Times, and very different from that at the Times of London or the Wall Street Journal. Will the NYT's effort prove successful? Will one payment model prevail?

Source: Wall Street Journal