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Murdoch May Eliminate WSJ Online Fees

Thinks added ad revenue will make up for losses

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 18, 2007 4:42 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Rupert Murdoch said today he would probably eliminate the Wall Street Journal's online subscription fee when News Corp. completes its purchase of the paper in a few months. The media mogul believes that dropping the subscription fee will attract more readers to the site, thereby increasing advertising revenues, the LA Times reports.

WSJ is the most successful news site running on the subscription model; fees under the current system generate an estimated $30 million annually. But models based on access fees may be a thing of the past: few papers have them, and the New York Times recently eliminated TimesSelect, which granted access to op-ed and archived pieces for a fee.

  (Getty Images)
MURDOCH WINS CONTROL OF DOW JONES
MURDOCH WINS CONTROL OF DOW JONES   (Getty Images)
The Wednesday edition of The Wall Street Journal is shown August 1, 2007 in New York. Rupert Murdoch has sealed a deal to buy Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. for $5 billion, ending a century of family ownership and adding a crown jewel to his global media...
The Wednesday edition of The Wall Street Journal is shown August 1, 2007 in New York. Rupert Murdoch has sealed a deal to buy Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. for $5 billion, ending a century...   (Associated Press)
Rupert Murdoch (AP Photo/David Karp)
Rupert Murdoch (AP Photo/David Karp)   (Associated Press)
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NY Times does away with online subscription fees
Associated Press

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Money • Media

 
Internet • newspaper • Rupert Murdoch • Wall Street Journal • Dow Jones • News Corp

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