NY Times to charge non subscribers for unlimited use of its site
 

Taking a step that has tempted and terrified much of the newspaper industry, The New York Times announced on Wednesday that it would charge some frequent readers for access to its Web site ? news that drew ample reaction from media analysts and consumers, ranging from enthusiastic to withering.

Beginning in January 2011, unlimited access to NYTimes.com will require a paper subscription or payment of a flat fee.

Starting in January 2011, a visitor to NYTimes.com will be allowed to view a certain number of articles free each month; to read more, the reader must pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers to the print newspaper, even those who subscribe only to the Sunday paper, will receive full access to the site without any additional charge.


rest of the article here

Interesting article - might be a precedent for many other newspapers if the results turn out positive

It costs money to run a newspaper and money to put it on the Internet. Advertising does not come near to covering the costs. And it will be a sad day if printed newspapers become unprofitable.

That day will come in around 3 years.

Or sooner depending on exactly what deals Apple has done with all the publishers for their tablet announcement on Wednesday.

And it will be a sad day. Print newspapers can afford to do investigations that Internet sites can't. Do you think the UK would of learn as much as it did about the expenses scandal in Parliament as it did without the money print newspapers can afford to spend on digging out the info?

There are similar cases that go back for years, the most famous is the Watergate scandal.

they already went paid before and retracted it

Fine, its also mean for business.