The First Numbers: TimesSelect Draws About 135,000 Paid Users

[flowomo]

By Joe Strupp
Published: November 09, 2005

NEW YORK About 135,000 Web users have signed up, and paid, for The New York Times' new TimesSelect program, which requires online readers to pay a fee to read its opinion columns, while also receiving bonus material, the paper said Wednesday. The numbers reflect those who have agreed to pay the $7.95 monthly fee or $49.95 annual price since the service began less than two months ago.

Home subscribers also have access to the service but do not pay extra for it.

"We're delighted with the enthusiastic response to TimesSelect," Martin Nisenholtz, senior vice president, digital operations for The New York Times Company said in a statement. "Clearly we've put together a product that appeals to a wide range of readers. The feedback from users has been very positive, particularly about interaction with columnists, usage of new tools and access to The Times' archives."

Online-only subscribers represent about half of the overall 270,000 number of Web users who have registered for the service. The remaining 135,000 or so are home-delivery subscribers who get the service as part of their regular subscription...

(more)
www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001476145

[welshTerrier2]

1. what the article doesn't tell you ...

the test when charging for online content is NOT just how much revenue your program takes in but also how many "page hits" do you lose ...

i am totally boycotting going to the NY Times website ... there's plenty of other places to read the news ...

if others stop reading their online stuff, they'll lose a bundle of money in advertising revenues ...

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. LOL!

Sure! It's all good!

I wonder what the net result actually is after factoring in the lost ad revenue from lower web site hit numbers.

[Fridays Child]

3. I wonder if they're including the free trial users in that figure.

I signed up for the free trial, and I fully intend to cancel, the day before it expires.

[flowomo]

4. the lead answers your question:

"signed up, and paid,"

[Fridays Child]

7. I still wonder...

...because they did require a credit card number so they can auto-bill me at the first possible nano-second.

[jmatthan]

5. I refuse to pay a war criminal for anything!

http://jmpolitics.blogspot.com/2005/10/torch-of-death.html

[Bozita]

6. I joined NYT Select tonight via telephone

I'm a subscriber to the paper. Thought that I'd see some of the 'extras' if I were to join.

Surprise! The online part where it asks for your credit card # to which your subscription is billed;... it seldom works.

You need to call the toll-free # and talk to a real New Yorker.

I did. This was no free-market answering service in India. I talked with a highly intelligent adult NYer for about 10 minutes. He knew and understood all about Judith Miller and the recent problems with the paper.

He stressed his apolitical existence.

Nevertheless, this was the most enjoyable phone conversation I've had in months.

This guy was informed, very well informed.

Maybe I'll call again tomorrow.