Scottish regional The Press and Journal adopts metered paywall
DC Thomson’s north of Scotland title The Press and Journal is adopting a metered paywall for its website, the title has announced.
Website: The Press and Journal has opted for a metered paywall
Users will be able to access 10 free articles per month before a subscription is required from a three tier-system. Subscriptions are set at £10, £15 and £20 per month dependent on how many services users want to access.
Kirsten Morrison, DC Thomson’s head of digital, said the move signalled the title’s move into a “digital first” strategy.
“Journalists can post direct for both online and print; this is the first time DC Thomson has used a ‘digital first’ system,” she said.
Press and Journal editor-in-chief Damian Bates added: “The nature of online reporting has changed and social media is now a main source of breaking stories for many people.
“The newspaper is still a central focus at the Press and Journal and we have more readers now that we did five years ago. This website will complement the print offering and has been designed to offer our tech savvy readers instant access to the latest news as and when they want it.”
Herald Scotland, another regional news website in Scotland serving the west, revealed earlier this year that its online subscribers had overtaken its print subscribers for the first time after launching a metered paywall.
DC Thomson CEO Ellis Watson told the PPA’s Re-invented conference last week that publishers must “get off their pessimistic arses” to turn the industry around and get back to journalism basics.