FT.com partially opens paywall

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on October 1, 2007 at 2:19 PM

FT.com, which was one of the few major newspaper websites to keep content behind a paywall, is taking a first step towards its removal. “Casual” readers will be able to read articles and data up to 30 times a month for free, starting in mid-October.

Currently, subscribers pay £98.99 a year for full access to the website. FT.com counts 101,000 paid online subscribers, and its figures for unique users are up by 70% for the year.

The move isn’t meant to downright end the paid-for online model though. It was mapped with the goal of attracting new readers and subscribers.

“The figure of 30 is not random. We have studied carefully how people come to the site. We have always believed that the journalism we produce is worth something to our core users. This new model allows us to keep to that principle while making sure that our material is also made freer to the web universe,” said Ien Cheng, publisher of FT.com.

"We are confident that we are going to grow our subscriber base, otherwise we wouldn't be doing this," said Cheng.

This change will also allow bloggers and news aggregators to link back to the now-open content, which will in turn drive traffic and sell more advertising.

This move follows The New York Times’ closing down of TimesSelect, and seems to reinforce the idea that the end of the online paid-for model is nearing. The decision could also have been made in light of the Wall Street Journal considering the option of opening its site.

FT.com will also get some new features, including blogs, video interviews, a new markets page and a redesign.

You can take a look at an interview between Cheng and paidcontent.co.uk here.

Source: Financial Times - Paidcontent.co.uk – Brand Republic – Media Guardian