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Wall Street Journal

New York Times, with 454,000 subscribers, raises its paywall higher

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By Noel Young | Correspondent

March 20, 2012 | 2 min read

A full year after erecting its paywall, the New York Times has 454,000 paying subscribers. This makes it one of the most successful news publications charging for web content - but is still a long way behind arch-rival The Wall Street Journal, which began charging in 1996 and now has 1.3 million subscribers.

New York Times: online figures up

Now the Times is stepping up the pace. With the aim of converting more casual web readers into paying subscribers, it will next month cut the number of free monthly stories for non-subscribers to 10 from 20.

Chairman Arthur Sulzberger said in a statement. "Our commitment to all our subscribers, both print and digital, is that we will continue to invest in and evolve our journalism."

To lure more subscribers , the Times is offering new recruits their first four weeks of the service for $0.99.

The Times will still, however, allow people who enter the website through outside links to read those articles, even if they've reached their 10-article limit.

For digital-only subscribers, The Times has three plans: $3.95 a week for NYTimes.com and smartphone access; $5 a week for NYTimes.com and tablet access; and $8.75 per week for all digital platforms, including the website, tablets and mobile devices.

Print home delivery of The Times is $12.10 a week.

Circulation revenue in the fourth quarter was up 8% due to growth in digital subscribers to NYTimes.com. Total ad revenue, however, was down 7.1%, because of falls in print and at About.com.

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