In a bid to stay relevant (and stay afloat), major free news publications are starting to tighten the noose, putting their content behind a paid firewall. It worked for News Corp’s (NYSE: NWS) Wall Street Journal, because that publication can be considered as a necessary asset for the business community, and thus can easily be expensed by many readers. The rest of the pack may not be so lucky, as we’ll soon find out with The New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT). Rumors circulate that the “Old Gray Lady” will soon announce a $20 per month… Read More
In a bid to stay relevant (and stay afloat), major free news publications are starting to tighten the noose, putting their content behind a paid firewall. It worked for News Corp’s (NYSE: NWS) Wall Street Journal, because that publication can be considered as a necessary asset for the business community, and thus can easily be expensed by many readers. The rest of the pack may not be so lucky, as we’ll soon find out with The New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT). Rumors circulate that the “Old Gray Lady” will soon announce a $20 per month subscription plan for regular visitors to nytimes.com that also want to be able to read the paper on the Kindle and the iPad. (All signs point to a March launch). Standalone web-only access through a browser is rumored to be priced at $10. That’s $120 a year. The price may be appealing to die-hard readers like myself, but surely unappealing to many that appreciate the Times’ impressive website, but would likely balk at such a cost. This leads to my major concern about The New York Times — and its stock. Shares have rallied in recent… Read More