November 18, 2009 by James Oliver
James Harding, the Editor in chief of the Times newspaper, has revealed that his publication’s online arm, Times Online will begin charging for access to content in Spring 2010. According to Harding the prospective payment model will include two different methods of payment, a 24 hour pass, and a subscription model. Details are still sketchy but the one day pass is expected to cost about as much as a copy of the print edition which currently stands at 90p.
Harding also rejected the notion of micro-payments, a system that many see as the future of news online, suggesting that it would compromise the news agenda of the paper, stating, “You have to be very careful with article-only economics. You will find yourself writing a lot more about Britney Spears and a lot less about Tamils in northern Sri Lanka.”
The Times isn’t the only publication moving to a payment model next year, it will be joined by The Wall Street Journal, The Spectator and the Financial Times. Opinion amongst internet professionals is split between those that feel the pay model will lead to better content and those who feel pay models for news violate a fundamental public right to information. Both sides are united though, in the belief that the success of this payment model will open the floodgates for all news sites.
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