Times Weighs 2 Pay Models for Web Content

The New York Times will decide how to charge users for its web content by the end of next month, the New York Observer reports. In his semi-annual newsroom meeting Wednesday, executive editor Bill Keller outlined two proposals the company is considering: a meter system based on word count or page views, and a membership system.

Keller called the meter proposal, giving users free access to limited content before being charged, “tricky,” since it could interfere with the paper’s lucrative digital advertising revenues. The membership system would grant paying users entry into a “NYT community,” complete with company-branded swag and possibly access to editorial meetings. Whatever happens, either scenario will take months to implement, Keller noted.
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