The New York Times has announced its intention to start charging readers for full access to its website from 2011.
Following months of deliberation the newspaper said it will use a metered system, allowing free access to a certain number of articles and then charging users for additional content. The price structure has yet to be disclosed.
It would not be the first time the newspaper has tried to charge for its articles.
It charged for its website in 1996 but attracted only about 4,000 subscribers. Another experiment called Times Select, which required a $50 annual subscription to read columnists, drew 221,000 customers but was scrapped in 2007 because it put a dent in ad sales. Advertisers generally pay more for higher web traffic.
The new approach resembles the one used at the Financial Times. The idea is to draw casual readers with free articles while getting fees from people who want to go deeper on the site.
AP