NYT Puts Up a Paywall

Let’s try this again, shall we? The New York Times has experimented in the past with the idea of charging for content, and starting later this month the Grey Lady is launching a new pay-to-play plan and squirreling most of what’s fit to print behind a firewall. –KA

ABC News:

“Today marks a significant transition for The New York Times as we introduce digital subscriptions,” Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. said in a letter to readers. “It’s an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in The Times, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world and on any platform. The change will primarily affect those who are heavy consumers of the content on our Web site and on mobile applications.”

The newspaper will roll out the paywall first to its readers in Canada, to “fine-tune the customer experience” before the global launch. On March 28, the following pricing begins in the U.S:

On NYTimes.com, readers can view 20 articles each month for free, including slide shows, videos and other features. After 20 articles, the charge is $15 a month for full access to the site and smartphone apps.

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