Liberal Newspaper starts charging for content, no discount for "neediest" readers.

Hacp

Lifer
Jun 8, 2005
13,923
2
81
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/18/opinion/l18times.html
Today marks a significant transition for The New York Times as we introduce digital subscriptions. 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.
This change comes in two stages. Today, we are rolling out digital subscriptions to our readers in Canada, which will enable us to fine-tune the customer experience before our global launch. On March 28, we will begin offering digital subscriptions in the United States and the rest of the world.
If you are a home delivery subscriber of The New York Times, you will continue to have full and free access to our news, information, opinion and the rest of our rich offerings on your computer, smartphone and tablet. International Herald Tribune subscribers will also receive free access to NYTimes.com.
If you are not a home delivery subscriber, you will have free access up to a defined reading limit. If you exceed that limit, you will be asked to become a digital subscriber.
This is how it will work, and what it means for you:
• On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20 articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access to our site.
• On our smartphone and tablet apps, the Top News section will remain free of charge. For access to all other sections within the apps, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber.
• The Times is offering three digital subscription packages that allow you to choose from a variety of devices (computer, smartphone, tablet). More information about these plans is available at www.nytimes.com/access.
• Again, all New York Times home delivery subscribers will receive free access to NYTimes.com and to all content on our apps. If you are a home delivery subscriber, go to http://homedelivery.nytimes.com to sign up for free access.
• Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media like Facebook and Twitter will be able to read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
• The home page at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will remain free to browse for all users at all times.
For more information, go to www.nytimes.com/digitalfaq.
Thank you for reading The New York Times, in all its forms.
Sincerely,
ARTHUR OCHS SULZBERGER Jr.
The Times has finally started charging. Its funny how they don't give any discounts to "neediest" readers or student readers. But will somebody think of the children! Why is the times against students?


Could it be that the Times finally realized that you can't give something away for free and expect to survive(Food stamps, welfare, medicaid)? Maybe they'll finally fire their editors and horrible op-ed columnists and present a fairer and more balanced approach to news.

From a 2010 Times Q&A

Student Subscriptions
Q.
Will there be a student discount in subscription to The Times? Economist magazine has a somewhat discounted price for students, and it’s a good one. — Amin, Louisiana
Q.
As a full-time student, I am curious to know if you will offer a lower rate (for a full online or section subscription, not a per article fee) to those who read daily? — Lauren M. Athens, Ga.
A.
There is currently no student discount planned as part of the metered model. However students do receive a discount on newspaper home delivery and as subscribers would receive full access to the site for free.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/talk-to-the-times-answers-about-charging-online/
 
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PeshakJang

Platinum Member
Mar 17, 2010
2,276
0
0
They are doing it backwards though... idea is to first produce a product that people will pay for, the next step is to charge for it.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
Are you retarded?

1) On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20 articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access to our site.

I average maybe 1 or 2 online NYT articles a month, at best. This doesn't affect the overwhelming majority of NYT readers.

2) Newspaper != necessity like food/housing/clothing etc.
 

Hacp

Lifer
Jun 8, 2005
13,923
2
81
Are you retarded?

1) On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20 articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access to our site.

I average maybe 1 or 2 online NYT articles a month, at best. This doesn't affect the overwhelming majority of NYT readers.

2) Newspaper != necessity like food/housing/clothing etc.

I'm sure steak and beer are necessities. Yep.
 

IBMer

Golden Member
Jul 7, 2000
1,137
0
76
He is just disappointed that he can't read the newspaper for free, much like his free sandwiches that he steals from his roommates.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
He is just disappointed that he can't read the newspaper for free, much like his free sandwiches that he steals from his roommates.

Correction: Free Icecream :D (or did he start stealing sandwiches too and i missed that thread?) :D
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,940
5,038
136
You need more ketchup, Hacp. Ketchup has natural mellowing agents that help to keep you proactive, not reactive. So you can live your life, instead of destroying your home. What do you say we go have a big helping of ketchup right now—
 

Macamus Prime

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2011
3,108
0
0
I guess the Times is also "greedy shit brains for nothing" now that they are charging.

They got the idea from Rupe.

However, they aren't standing on their porch, holding their colostomy bag as they scream and yell about people "stealing" their stories.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,639
33,213
136
I guess the Times is also "greedy shit brains for nothing" now that they are charging.

Let's just impliment the GOP model. The Times starts to make billions and we'll start giving them tax payer subsidies al-la oil companies.

We'll start with more of your tax dollars.
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
The New York Times was talking about doing this awhile back around the time the Wall Street Journal went to subscriber\payer system.
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
6,674
7
76
This will easily fail.

I already read WSJ and many other subscription based financial websites for free through the means of either using a simple google search, google cache or an HTTP Referer extension add-on in Firefox.
 

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
3,536
0
0
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Dylan

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Apparently Hacp has never heard of this invention dating back to at least the third century BC called a "library."

Many communities have one of them, or even more than one. They are filled with wondrous data-storage objects known as "books" and "newspapers" than can be accessed without a computer, and can be operated without a power source!
 

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
3,536
0
0
Apparently Hacp has never heard of this invention dating back to at least the third century BC called a "library."

Many communities have one of them, or even more than one. They are filled with wondrous data-storage objects known as "books" and "newspapers" than can be accessed without a computer, and can be operated without a power source!

How nice. Is that how the poor get the news?