A new (and unusual) pricing strategy by a Rhode Island newspaper
Fri, 06/26/2009 - 09:24
Two weeks ago the Newport Daily News in Rhode Island announced its plans for a new and – according to Jim Brady, former executive editor of washingtonpost.com – unusual pricing strategy for its paper. As an incentive for subscribers to pay for its print edition, The Daily News will now charge readers $145 per year for a newspaper subscription, and an additional $100 for access to the paper’s web site. However, if a subscriber only wants access to the web site, they must pay $345 per year.
In his article, Why A New (And Unusual) Pricing Strategy By A Rhode Island Paper Will Fail, Brady states the main issue that the paper must face is an increase in young readers who are “pro-web” and prefer the more personalized experience they get from accessing a web site than from reading the daily newspaper. In this regard, the Daily News’ paid strategy is short-sighted, as it implies that they will be able to drive readers away from its own web site and back to its print edition with the higher cost. The paper may be able to do this successfully for a few years, however future generations will only continue to abandon print products in favour of the web.
While Brady’s analysis of the Daily News’ paid model is not favourable, he does point out that the paper “deserves credit for trying something different.”
Read the full article here: http://paidcontent.org/article/419-why-a-new-and-unusual-pricing-strategy-by-a-rhode-island-newspaper-will/
In his article, Why A New (And Unusual) Pricing Strategy By A Rhode Island Paper Will Fail, Brady states the main issue that the paper must face is an increase in young readers who are “pro-web” and prefer the more personalized experience they get from accessing a web site than from reading the daily newspaper. In this regard, the Daily News’ paid strategy is short-sighted, as it implies that they will be able to drive readers away from its own web site and back to its print edition with the higher cost. The paper may be able to do this successfully for a few years, however future generations will only continue to abandon print products in favour of the web.
While Brady’s analysis of the Daily News’ paid model is not favourable, he does point out that the paper “deserves credit for trying something different.”
Read the full article here: http://paidcontent.org/article/419-why-a-new-and-unusual-pricing-strategy-by-a-rhode-island-newspaper-will/
