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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010
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3

London Paper Is Murdoch's Paywall Test Ground

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(Newser) – Rupert Murdoch will test out his new pay-to-read Internet model this November, when News Corp launches a stand-alone website for Britain's Sunday Times. According to the Guardian, the site will feature "communities editors" and its own team of journalists. It's unclear whether users will pay a subscription or a per-visit fee.

The Sunday Times is Britain's top weekend broadsheet and has subsidized the loss-making daily Times for years, but recently the paper has gone into the red. One former Sunday Times editor suggested that Murdoch was making such a public intervention in order to encourage his competitors to join in: "He knows that this will work better if all the main competitors do it."

The Sunday Times, owned by News Corp, will launch a fee-based standalone website in November.
The Sunday Times, owned by News Corp, will launch a fee-based standalone website in November.   (©HowardLake)
News Corp. Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch during a media conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
News Corp. Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch during a media conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.   (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, file)
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Cegorach
Aug 7, 09 9:19 AM CDT
agreed... when are companies going to realize that doing stuff like this only serves to devalue their content even more
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cochiserocks
Aug 7, 09 5:39 AM CDT
Maybe if The Sunday Times didn't weigh half a ton and come with so much junk in it that you only ever really read maybe 25% - maybe that would save him money, rather than trying to squeeze yet more profit out of ordinary people who just want to know what's going on in the world. Reply
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gabo
Aug 7, 09 6:28 AM CDT
I usually don't like to bet against someone with a proven track record but this time I would. It is hubris to think that since it is you going against the grain that this time it will suceed. Reply
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